Mike Bell, Comox Valley Record, January 10, 2012

Dear editor,

We have been told that the Environmental Review Process is objective and fair.

Not true. It’s a great big “pants-on-fire” fib. Here’s why.

John Snyder, TideChange Podcast, December 21 2011

Click here to listen to the podcast

Visit TideChange

Tony Pearse, Vancouver Sun, December 17, 2011

Re: Environmental reviews need streamlining, Editorial, Dec. 10

The Vancouver Sun's editorial about streamlining environmental reviews comes across as boosterism for industrial growth at all costs.

Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail, Nov. 28, 2011

OTTAWA — Ottawa is planning to overhaul the country’s environmental assessment process to ensure major energy and mining projects aren’t jeopardized by unnecessary delays, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver says.

News Release, West Coast Environmental Law, November 29, 2011

Ottawa/Vancouver - Environmental groups across Canada are expressing shock over the abrupt termination of the Parliamentary review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). Committee hearings scheduled for today were cancelled late last week without warning, and even written submissions are no longer being accepted.

By Andrew Findlay, Georgia Straight, November 24, 2011

Mineral exploration is exploding in B.C., but critics claim the provincial government isn’t assessing the environmental impact.

By CHRIS PLECASH, Hill Times, Nov. 28, 2011

NDP Environment Critic calls exercise a ‘farce,’ accuses government of
already drafting legislative overhaul of EA process.

The House Environment Committee is winding down its statutory review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, a process that committee vice-chair and NDP environment critic Megan Leslie is calling a “farce,” accusing the government of already drafting legislation to overhaul the federal environmental assessment process.

Oceanside Star, November 17, 2011

The public is being discouraged from commenting on Compliance Coal Corporation's proposed Raven Coal Mine Project, CoalWatch Comox Valley said Monday.

Spencer Anderson, Comox Valley Echo, November 18, 2011

A local group campaigning against the proposed Raven Underground Coal Mine project is calling for more time to review the project, ahead of a new public comment period beginning today.

Julia Caranci, Alberni Valley Times, November 15, 2011

Critics of a proposed coal mine project say the average person would "throw up their hands" at the barriers regarding learning if their opinion has been heard.

Press Release, CoalWatch Comox Valley, November 14, 2011

CoalWatch Comox Valley has slammed the recently announced public comment period on the proposed Raven Coal Mine Project, calling Compliance Coal Corporation’s responses in the latest version of the tracking table, vague, evasive, and anything but transparent.

Philip Round, Comox Valley Echo, November 08, 2011

A further pitch is being made to toughen up the forthcoming environmental assessment for the proposed Raven coalmine near Fanny Bay.

Despite being in its area, Comox Valley Regional District legally has no say on whether the mine is eventually approved or not.

BC Environmental Assessment Office, November 8, 2011

November 15-29, 2011: The BC EAO is requesting comments from the public on Compliance Coal Corporation's responses, as listed in the tracking table.

The tracking table contains Compliance Coal Corp's  responses to comments provided by the public during the May 18, 2011 to June 27, 2011 public comment period.

Click here to read the Invitation to Comment
Click here to read the Public Comment Posting Policy
Click here to visit the Tracking Table page at the EAO

By Wawmeesh G. Hamilton, Alberni Valley News, November 01, 2011

The Raven Underground Coal project will not go to a joint federal-provincial review panel, the federal and provincial government said.

Julia Caranci, Alberni Valley Times, November 02, 2011

Second public input period for proposed Raven Underground Coal Project will happen 'very soon'

The wide-ranging environmental assessment process regarding the proposed Raven Underground Coal Project is about to enter another critical phase where public comment is invited.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency spokesperson Maxine Leger-Haskell explained the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office will open a second two-week public comment period "very soon," although dates have not been released.

The first public comment period, held over May and June of this year, elicited comments and concerns from hundreds of area residents.

Extract, BC EAO & CEAA, October 13, 2011

Proposed Raven Underground Coal Mine

Synopsis of Comments Received During the Public Comment Period on the Draft Application Information Requirements/Environmental Impact Statement Guidelines

Approximately 3,000 public submissions were received, with many individuals providing multiple submissions. Over 5,000 comments were received, as one submission may contain numerous comments. The concerns most frequently raised included:

Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist, July 27, 2011

Opponents of Comox coal mine fear project may not get adequate scrutiny

Opponents of plans for a Comox Valley coal mine are worried the proposal will not get adequate scrutiny following possible budget and staff cutbacks at the federal Environmental Assessment Agency and monitoring problems at the provincial level.

All Points West, CBC, July 22, 2011

Elizabeth May discusses environmental assessments with host Jo-Anne Roberts on CBC's All Points West. She gives an informed context to and criticism of funding cuts of up to 50% for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency which were announced on July 20, and the recent report issued by BC's Auditor General which was harshly critical of the BC Environmental Assessment Office for all but abrogating its duty to monitor and inspect projects which have received approval.

Click here to listen to the discussion.

By Amy Minsky, Postmedia News, Vancouver Sun, July 20, 2011

OTTAWA — The federal government will slash funding to the environmental agency that evaluates potentially harmful policies and projects before they get the green light.

Brad Bird, Oceanside Star, July 14, 2011

Local environmentalists are critical of the provincial Environmental Assessment Office, which is one of the bodies looking at approving the Raven coal mine proposed for Buckley Bay.

Keri Sculland, Alberni Valley Times, July 06, 2011

The Environmental Assessment Office has a lot of work ahead of it, posting the more than 2,500 public comments on Raven Underground's proposed coal mine project, slated for Fanny Bay.

There are still comments coming in that have been post-dated June 30 due to the postal strike, CoalWatch's John Snyder said.

Keri Sculland, Alberni Valley Times, July 5, 2011

The public comment period for the Raven Underground Coal Project has come to an end, and Compliance Energy president and CEO John Tapics is pleased with the results.

News Release, CoalWatch Comox Valley, July 4, 2011

Public concern about the proposal for a massive underground coal mine in the Comox Valley is so overwhelming that it's time to put the brakes on this process, says CoalWatch Comox Valley.

By Staff Writer, Comox Valley Record, June 30, 2011

Nearly 2,000 people submitted comments about the proposed Raven underground coal mine in Baynes Sound during the 30-day public comment period that ended Monday — an unprecedented number in a provincial environmental assessment process, says the Wilderness Committee.

Philip Round, Comox Valley Echo, June 28, 2011

The provincial NDP has formally weighed in on the Raven Coal Mine environmental assessment process - and it doesn't like way the issue is being handled.