From the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to Greenstone Gold Mines re: Conformity of Updated Responses to Information Requests Related to the Environmental Impact Statement Round 1 (Part 1) (see reference document # 25)
Document Reference Number: 26
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Ontario Region
55 York Street, Suite 600
Toronto ON M5J 1R7
Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale
Région de l'Ontario
55, rue York, bureau 600
Toronto ON M5J 1R7
March 27, 2018
Sent by E-mail
Steve Lines
Environmental Assessment and Permitting Manager
Greenstone Gold Mines
2381 Bristol Circle, Suite B203
Oakville, ON L6H 5S9
Steve.Lines@ggmines.com
Dear Mr. Lines,
SUBJECT: Commencement of technical review of the response to Information Requirement #1 on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Hardrock Gold Mine Project.
Thank you for submitting the revised response to Information Requirement #1 (IR-1) for the Hardrock Gold Mine Project (the Project) to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) on March 18, 2018, and additional information provided on March 26, 2018. The Agency reviewed the revised response to IR-1 to determine whether the responses provided by Greenstone Gold Mines (GGM) were complete, contained sufficient details and was consistent with the direction provided in IR-1.
The Agency has concluded that the revised response to IR-1 sufficiently meets the requirements of IR-1, and hereby advises you that the Agency is commencing the technical review of the revised response to IR-1. The federal legal timeline will resume tomorrow, March 28, 2018, which will be day 136 of 365.
Meeting the requirements of completeness check does not imply that the information provided is adequate to support the federal environmental assessment. The Agency may issue follow-up information requirements to GGM based on the results of the technical review of the response to IR-1 conducted by federal reviewers, and on input received from Indigenous groups.
Prior to issuing any follow-up information requirements, the Agency would like to collaborate with GGM during the technical review period, on matters that require clarification or response by GGM. In particular, we would like to validate our understanding of the potential effects of the project that would be captured under subsection 5(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012). This approach will ensure that any further information that may be submitted in response to follow-up information requirement meets the needs of the Agency's review. I will contact you separately to arrange times and format for these meetings.
In accordance with subsections 27(6) and 23(2) of CEAA 2012, the period that is taken by a proponent to comply with information requirements is not included in the calculation of the time limit within which the Minister's decision must be made. For more information on the approach to managing federal environmental assessment timelines, please consult the Agency's "Operational Policy Statement: Information Requests and Timelines, February 2016" document [1].
Please note that the response to IR-1 will be posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet Site and shared with Indigenous groups for consultation purposes.
Should you have any questions regarding the technical review of the responses to IR-1, please contact me at 647-262-8219 or via e-mail at Hardrock@ceaa-acee.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
<Original signed by>
Marc Léger
Project Manager
cc: Ian Horne, Greenstone Gold Mines
Gavin Battarino, Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/environmental-assessment-agency/news/policy-guidance/information-requests-timelines.html