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 2 (Part 1) (see reference document # 28)
Document Reference Number: 29
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Ontario Region
55 York Street,
Suite 600
Toronto ON M5J 1R7
Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnmentale
Région de l'Ontario
55, rue York,
bureau 600
Toronto ON M5J 1R7
June 18, 2018
Sent by E-mail
Steve Lines
Environmental Assessment and Permitting Manager
Greenstone Gold Mines
2381 Bristol Circle, Suite 8203
Oakville, ON L6H 559
Steve.Lines@ggmines.com
Dear Mr. Lines,
SUBJECT: Commencement of technical review of the response to Information Requirement #2 on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Hardrock Gold Mine Project
Thank you for submitting the response to Information Requirement #2 (IR-2) of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hardrock Gold Mine Project (the Project) to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) on June 6, 2018. The Agency reviewed the response to IR-2 to determine whether the responses provided by Greenstone Gold Mines (GGM) were complete, contained sufficient details and were consistent with the direction provided in IR-2.
The Agency has concluded that the response to IR-2 sufficiently meets the requirements of IR-2, and hereby advises you that the Agency is commencing the technical review of the response to IR-2. June 19, 2018 marks the first day elapsed on the federal legal timeline, which will be day 180 of 365.
In accordance with subsections 27(6) and 23(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012), the period that is taken by a proponent to comply with the 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" at https://www.canada.ca/en/environmental-assessment-agency/news/ media-room/media-room-2016/information-requests-timelines.html.
Please note that the response to IR-2 will be posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet Site and shared with Indigenous groups for consultation purposes.
Meeting the requirements of completeness check does not imply that the information provided is adequate to support the environmental assessment. In parallel to the technical review of the response to IR-2, the Agency will be working on drafting the environmental assessment (EA) report. The Agency may issue subsequent information requirements to you based on the results of the technical review of the response to IR-2 conducted by federal reviewers, on input received from Indigenous groups, and on any information gaps identified while drafting the EA report.
Should you have any questions regarding the technical review of the revised EIS, 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
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Ontario Region
cc: lan Horne, Greenstone Gold Mines
Gavin Battarino, Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change