"EIA Process Improvement – 3PC and Other Initiatives", Oct. 17 October 17, 2007

EIA Process Improvement – 3PC and Other Initiatives

By Chris Powter, Team Leader, Environmental Assessment, Alberta Environment, Northern Region, Edmonton.



Alberta’s environmental assessment process was last overhauled in 1993 with the passage of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and the two associated regulations – Environmental Assessment Regulation and Environmental Assessment (Mandatory and Exempted Activities) Regulation. At that time four or five projects in one year was considered excessive. Alberta Environment is now coordinating the review of 12 EIAs concurrently, three more have been submitted and have been placed in a queue, and we are aware of approximately 26 more EIAs that will be submitted by the first quarter of 2009. Furthermore, the current projects, and their related EIAs are becoming increasingly complex and stakeholders have greater expectations about the role of EIAs and their participation in the process. To address this growing workload Alberta Environment, its regulatory partners and industry are looking at a variety of improvements to the EIA process. Examples include the use of third-party reviewers (the 3PC initiative), developing standardized Terms of Reference and an associated Guide to EIAs, developing guidance for EIA reviewers to ensure an improved Supplemental Information Request process, and looking at the Mandatory and Exempted list. Most of these process improvements are small changes that will lead to incremental improvements – however, what may be needed is a major overhaul.

When: October 17, 2007 from 11:30 to 13:00, Wednesday

Where: Calgary downtown Ramada Hotel, 708 8 Ave. SW, second floor



Tickets: $20 for students, $30 for AWMA members, and $40 for others. You pay at the CPANS registration desk from 11:30 to 12:00 at Ramada on 17 October.



We accept cash, cheques, and Master Card and VISA. Sorry, we do not accept debit cards.



RSVP: By October 11, Thursday. Please note that we reserve the right to invoice you if you registered, but did not cancel your registration prior to this date – regardless of whether you did not attend.

Contact for Registration: kurt.hansen@amec.com



The planned luncheons for November through January are posted on our calendar tab: http://www.cpans.org/calendar.php.

Official Website: http://www.cpans.org/calendar.php