News Release
Grassy Mountain Coal Project

June 29, 2020 — The Joint Review Panel (the Panel) established to review the proposed Grassy Mountain Coal Project (the Project) and conduct an assessment of the environmental effects of the Project has determined that it has sufficient information to proceed to a public hearing. In addition, the environmental impact assessment and associated twelve addenda submitted by the proponent, Benga Mining Limited (Benga), have been deemed complete pursuant to section 53 of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.

The Panel currently anticipates starting the hearing in October 2020 and plans to hold a portion of the public hearing sessions in proximity to the Project. However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Panel will follow the recommendations of public health authorities and will prioritize the safety of all hearing participants. The Panel is currently considering all reasonable options to ensure that the hearing is accessible to all participants, including the potential for electronic hearing sessions using digital communication tools. The Panel will consider input from participants and Benga regarding the dates, locations, and the format of the hearing. These details will be announced at a later date.

Information about the Hearing

The Panel invites groups and individuals who have an interest in the Project to submit a request to participate and to make submissions about preferred dates, locations and the format of the hearing. Should you wish to file a submission, submit evidence, make a statement, or participate at the hearing, you must submit a written request to participate no later than July 20, 2020. Detailed information on how to request to participate and what should be included in a request is contained in the Notice of Hearing.

Information sessions will be held online to provide information about the hearing process. Details regarding the dates and times of these sessions are included in the Notice of Hearing. All documents related to the Notice of Hearing, the Project and the environmental impact assessment are available on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (Registry reference number 80101).

Media may contact

Alison Reilander
Communications
Joint Review Panel - Grassy Mountain Coal Project
343-543-7701 / alison.reilander@canada.ca

Bob Curran
Communications
Joint Review Panel - Grassy Mountain Coal Project
403-297-3392 / bob.curran@aer.ca