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Galore Creek Copper-Gold-Silver Mine Project
Environmental Assessment to Continue as a Comprehensive Study
OTTAWA - June 29, 2006 - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, has determined that a comprehensive study is the most appropriate type of environmental assessment for the proposed Galore Creek Copper-Gold-Silver Mine Project in British Columbia.
The Minister based her decision on the report and recommendation submitted by Natural Resources Canada on behalf of the responsible authorities. The report contains information on the scope of the project, the factors to be considered by the environmental assessment, public comments submitted to responsible authorities, the potential of the project to cause adverse environmental effects and the ability of the comprehensive study to address issues relating to the project. The report, along with further information on this project, is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry, under registry number 05-03-8858.
The project is subject to a comprehensive study assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. As the project also requires an environmental assessment certificate under British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Act, a cooperative assessment is being conducted in accordance with the Canada-BC Agreement on Environmental Assessment Cooperation.
The responsible authorities, Natural Resources Canada, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, will now continue the comprehensive study and submit their final report to the Minister of the Environment. At that time, the public will have an opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report before the Minister renders her final decision.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency will act as the Federal Environmental Assessment Coordinator for this environmental assessment in order to coordinate the participation of federal departments.
NovaGold Resources Inc. is proposing to construct and operate a copper-gold-silver open-pit mine approximately 350 km northwest of Terrace. The proposed project would include an access road, ore concentrate slurry pipeline, transmission line, processing plant, airstrip, waste rock storage and supporting infrastructure.
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The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.
For more information, media may call:
Lucille Jamault
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: (613) 957-0434
lucille.jamault@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
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