By: Martin Olszynski

PDF Version: To Be (Justified) or Not To Be: That is (Still) the Question

Document commented on: Decision Statement Issued under Section 54 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, SC 2012, c19, for Taseko’s proposed New Prosperity Mine Project

A couple of weeks ago, the federal Minister of the Environment, Leona Aglukkaq, released another highly anticipated “decision statement” pursuant to section 54 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012), this time regarding Taseko’s New Prosperity Mine project. Most readers will know that this was Taseko’s second attempt to secure federal approval for its proposed mine and that the federal review panel that conducted the second environmental assessment (EA) concluded that, like the original Prosperity project, it too was likely to result in significant adverse environmental effects (SAEEs) (for more on the panel’s report, see my previous post here). As with Shell’s Jackpine Oil Sands Mine expansion project and Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline project, this meant that New Prosperity could only proceed if the Governor in Council (GiC) (which is to say, Cabinet) concluded that these SAEEs were “justified in the circumstances” (section 53). Unlike Jackpine (and probably Northern Gateway), however, the GiC has apparently concluded that New Prosperity’s SAEEs are not justified.  I use the term “apparently” here because, as in Jackpine, there is no explanation or rationale contained in the decision statement as to how or why the GiC reached this result.

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PDF Version: New Prosperity Mine Panel Report: A “Liberal and Generous,” “Complex,” and Rigorous Interpretation of CEAA 2012

Report commented on: Report of the Federal Review Panel – New Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine Project (October 31, 2013)

Last Thursday (October 31, 2013), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) released the highly anticipated federal panel report for Taseko’s proposed New Prosperity Mine project (New Prosperity Report). As many readers will know, this marks the second time that this particular proponent has been through the federal environmental assessment (EA) process.  A first attempt with respect to what was then referred to simply as the Prosperity Mine project was approved by British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office in 2009 but was thwarted in 2010 by several findings of significant adverse environmental effect (SAEE) by an initial federal panel, including the total destruction of Fish Lake, also known as Teztan Biny by the Tsilhqot’in First Nation. (As an aside, the discrepancy between the federal and provincial outcomes was noted at the time and in the ensuing debate over the fate of the since-repealed Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, SC 1992, c-37). Undeterred (and seemingly prompted by the federal government), Taseko quickly revised its project with a view first and foremost towards avoiding the outright destruction of Fish Lake and in 2011 re-submitted it to the federal EA process.  Alas for the company, two deficiency statements and one 24-day public hearing later, it appears to be no closer to realizing its project than it was three years ago, the second federal panel having now concluded that the New Prosperity Mine project is also likely to result in SAEE on several fronts.

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