Two new coal mines proposed for Hudson’s Hope and Chetwynd could be the first projects in B.C. to get an environmental review by the province alone, rather than both the provincial and federal governments.
The B.C. government and Government of Canada have signed a memorandum of understanding that eliminates the dual review process for some major projects, such as mines, which currently must go through both federal and provincial environmental reviews – a process considered unnecessarily bureaucratic.
The two governments have wasted no time in putting the new process in place. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) issued a call Friday for comments from the public on the first application for “substitution” – the process of handing the review over to the province – for two new coal mines.
The public has until April 4 to respond to the province’s request for substitution on the Carbon Creek coal mine west of Hudson’s Hope and the Sukunka coal mine south of Chetwynd.
Under the new arrangement, the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) can ask the CEAA for a substitution, and if granted, it would allow the province to conduct a single review.
The province would be responsible for processes such as consultation with First Nations. Federal government agencies will contribute expertise but will not be in charge of the reviews.
Some projects that are cross provincial boundaries – pipelines, for example – would likely still have to go through a joint review.
Once the reviews by the B.C. EAO are complete, provincial and federal ministers will each make their own separate decisions.
“Successive governments in British Columbia have actively pursued the use of our environmental assessment process for the federal process within the province,” said Environment Minister Terry Lake.
“Both Canada and British Columbia have rigorous environmental assessment systems. The province’s businesses and communities alike will benefit from the elimination of the duplication involved in having two assessments for a single project.”
B.C.’s environmental review process has been criticized in the past, however, as being less than stringent. The EAO approved the New Prosperity Mine proposal, for example, only to have the decision overturned by the federal government.
And two years ago, B.C. Auditor General John Doyle criticized the EAO’s lack of due diligence in following up and monitoring projects after they were approved.
