Editor:
Open letter to Mr. Tornquist,Chief Adam, Mr. Sebastian and Mr. Williams:
With the receipt of Pacific Booker Minerals Inc.’s (Proponent) response materials, we have now received all the submissions in response to the Reasons and Recommendations of the Executive Director, dated September 20, 2012. I do not see a need for any further submissions or responses.
I am therefore writing to advise you regarding next steps, including the process and procedure for referral to the Minister of Environment (Honourable Mary Polak) and the Minister of Energy and Mines (Honourable Bill Bennett).
The next steps are as follows: the Environmental Assessment Office will refer this application back to the Ministers for consideration pursuant to section 17(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act. We will advise the parties once the referral has occurred.
Ministers Polak and Bennett will be provided a referral package consisting of the following, the Assessment Report dated August 21, 2012, the Reasons and Recommendations of the Executive Director dated September 20, 2012 and the submissions of all parties received as part of this process.
As you recall, the court ordered that the proponent and other members of the
Working Group should have an opportunity for further comment on, but did not quash, the Executive Director’s Reasons and Recommendations. That opportunity has now been provided. As the September 20, 2012 Reasons and Recommendations remain in effect, I will not be issuing further reasons and recommendations.
Once referred, the 45 day timeline for a decision by Ministers, subject to any extensions, will continue to be applied.
I remind you that the conclusions in the Assessment Report and the Reasons and Recommendations of the Executive Director are not determinative of the application.
Under section 17(3) of the Act, the Ministers may issue an environmental assessment certificate, refuse to issue a certificate, or order further assessment.
Doug Caul
Associate Deputy Minister