Environmental Assessment Review
The Evergreen Line Project is subject to environmental assessment review under the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act (BCEAA). The Environmental Assessment (EA) includes a full review of potential project-related impacts and proposed mitigation measures and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure must obtain an environmental assessment certificate before the Project can proceed.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is committed to a thorough Environmental Assessment and has engaged leading experts in their fields to conduct a number of comprehensive environmental studies that consider potential Project-related environmental effects.
The project entered the pre-application phase in May 2009 when the Project Description Report was submitted to the EAO and posted to their website. A working group comprised of federal and provincial regulatory agencies, local governments and First Nations has been formed to assist the Environmental Assessment Office in reviewing the scope of the assessments and the application.
Pre-Application
The first step in the EA process is for the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) to approve the Application Information Requirements, a document that specifies the studies to be conducted and the information the Ministry must provide in its application for an environmental assessment certificate.
A 30-day public comment period on the draft Application Information Requirements begins September 16, 2009 and ends at midnight on October 16, 2009.
An electronic copy of the draft Application Information Requirements and information regarding the environmental assessment process are available at www.eao.gov.bc.ca.
Application
Following Preliminary Design Consultation, the Project Team will prepare an Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate. The Application and supporting studies will be submitted to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) for review in early 2010.
A public comment period on the Environmental Assessment Certificate Application will be held in late early 2010.
For more information about the environmental assessment process, please visit www.eao.gov.bc.ca.