Urge Council to Ask (again) for a Federal Panel Review

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 2nd, 2015 10:18am

At the City Council meeting on November 24, councillors will be voting on a motion to ask the new federal government for a federal panel review of the Ajax project.  As you probably know,  Council has asked for this review but was denied by the previous government.     

Why a Federal Panel Review? A federal panel review is considered “the gold standard” of environmental assessments. A review panel is a group of independent experts appointed by the Minister of the Environment to conduct an environmental assessment. The members are selected on the basis of their knowledge, experience and expertise, and must be free from bias or conflict of interest relative to the designated project.

A review panel assesses whether the environmental impact statement prepared by the proponent is sufficient to proceed to public hearings. The hearings allow interested parties, including Aboriginal groups, to present evidence, concerns and comments regarding the potential environmental impacts of the designated project.

Review panels have the capacity to summon witnesses, and order witnesses to present evidence and produce records related to the environmental assessment.

Call to Action! We are asking every one of you to email City Council and send letters to the editors, urging councillors to support this motion to ask for a federal panel review (text of the motion is copied below).  The Ajax proposal is unique due to its proximity to our city and deserves the highest level of assessment. Please don’t delay!  Send your letters to

citycouncil@kamloops.ca
http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/contact-us/
info@newskamloops.com

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