Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Sites Remediation Project:
Ministers Issue Final Guidelines for the Preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement
HALIFAX, August 30, 2005 – The Honourable Stéphane Dion, federal Minister of the Environment and the Minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, and the Honourable Kerry Morash, Minister of Environment and Labour for Nova Scotia today released the final guidelines for the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Sites Remediation Project.
The final EIS guidelines provide direction to the proponent, the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, in preparing a statement of the anticipated effects of the project on the environment. The guidelines identify the issues the proponent will be required to address. They also provide the proponent guidance on how to describe and assess these issues, and how to structure the environmental documentation that will be submitted to the joint review panel.
The draft EIS guidelines were the subject of a public consultation which began on June 30 and ended on July 30. After thoroughly considering the written submissions, the EIS guidelines were restructured to reflect comments received, and to make them more specific to the proposed remediation project.
"This is another important step toward the timely and efficient completion of this environmental assessment, which is an investment in the success of the clean up," said Mr. Dion. "I wish to thank members of the public for their input to the final guidelines. I will work with my provincial colleague to appoint members to the panel in the near future."
"The involvement of the public is essential to the outcome and credibility of the environmental assessment," said Mr. Morash. "I appreciate the public spirit of those who commented and I thank them for their contributions. The joint Nova Scotia-Canada review is moving ahead on schedule and we expect to appoint the panel members shortly."
The final EIS guidelines are available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry (reference #05-05-8989) and on Nova Scotia Environment and Labour's Web site at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/ea/tarponds.asp, or by contacting:
Debbie Hendriksen
Information Officer
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: (902) 564-2759
Copies of the guidelines can be viewed at the following offices:
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
801 Hollis St., Suite 200, Halifax
(902) 426-0564
Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour
5151 Terminal Rd., Halifax
(902) 424-5301
Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour
295 Charlotte St., Sydney
(902) 563-2100
Members of the joint review panel will be appointed in the near future. The proponent, the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, is expected to submit the final EIS by December 30, 2005. The EIS will then be released for a 48-day public comment period. After this public consultation, if the joint panel determines that no additional information is required, it will schedule public hearings.
To register as an interested party and to be kept informed of the review activities, please provide a full mailing address, an e-mail address and/or a fax number, as applicable, to:
Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens Sites Review
P.O. Box 431
Sydney NS B1P 6H2
comments@stpco-review.ca
-30-
For more information, media may contact:
Élise Dhaussy
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: (613) 957-0406
elise.dhaussy@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
Penny McCormick
Communications Advisor
Nova Scotia Environment and Labour
Tel : (902) 424-7420
mccormpl@gov.ns.ca
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