The federal review panel for the proposed New Prosperity gold-copper mine project invites public comment on the draft hearing procedures and confidentiality procedures.
The panel invites persons or groups who wish to participate in all aspects of the review during the public hearing to apply for interested party status.
The panel invites written comments on the proposed hearing procedures which detail how the upcoming public hearing will unfold, as well as input on the confidentiality procedures, the process for requesting that information be submitted to the panel in confidence. The panel is seeking input from aboriginal groups, the proponent, the public and other participants on both these documents.
The panel is proposing to hold three different types of hearing sessions during the public hearing.
General hearing sessions are proposed to be held in Williams Lake to provide an opportunity for public input into the review in this central location.
Community hearing sessions will be held to allow members of the local communities to express their views to the panel in an informal setting.
The panel will also hold topic-specific hearing sessions in Williams Lake to allow opportunity for experts to present technical information.
The general and community sessions will provide an opportunity for comments from the public and Interested Parties. At the topic-specific sessions, members of the public may attend as observers but the panel will allow only those who are granted Interested Party status to participate in the proceedings.
The panel has determined the process for applying for interested party status.
While the panel will allow opportunity for general public input within the environmental review, only those with interested party status will be permitted to participate in all aspects of the review during the public hearing.
Participants who wish to be registered as an interested party must submit an application to be designated an interested party by the panel. The directions for applying for interested party status are available on the online public registry.
Once the panel has made its decisions, the list of Interested parties will be posted on the public registry.
Interested party applications, written comments on the hearing procedures and on the confidentiality procedures must be submitted by Sept. 28, 2012. All applications and comments on the procedures will be made public through the online registry.
Forward your application and written comments to the attention of Livain Michaud, panel manager, at NewProsperityReview@ceaa-acee.gc.ca.
The application for interested party status, the hearing procedures, the confidentiality procedures along with more information on this project are available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa.gc.ca, registry number 63928.
Taseko Mines Ltd. proposes the construction and operation of a large open pit gold-copper mine development, approximately 125 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake.
