News item, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, July 21, 2010

Two documents were posted on July 19, 2010 to CEA's registry site for the Raven project, Ref: 10-03-55529:

1. an updated Notice of Commencement of an Environmental Assessment. This advises of the changes to the CEA Act and the public comment period. (The original Notice was posted on May 20, 2010)

2. a Public Notice that Comments are invited on the Project and Conduct of the Comprehensive Study

Note: this is NOT the BC EAO comment period on the draft AIR

On July 12, 2010 amendments to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act came into effect, which made the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency responsible for most comprehensive studies. As a result, the Agency has assumed responsibility for 22 comprehensive studies already underway for which the Minister of the Environment had not yet made a decision on the type of assessment.

The 22 projects are listed here. In all cases, CEAA is or will be "inviting the public to comment on the project and the conduct of the comprehensive study." About half of the projects have had a public comment period open effective immediately. The Raven project is one of these. Some projects have been on CEAA's files for a number of years, and CEAA is uncertain of their status. For others, CEAA is awaiting information from the proponent.

Comments may be submitted by email to Raven@ceaa-acee.gc.ca, or by mail to

Raven Underground Coal Mine
Andrew Rollo, Project Manager
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
805 -1550 Alberni Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1A5
Telephone: 604-666-2431
Fax: 604-666-3493
Email: Raven@ceaa-acee.gc.ca

CEAA and the federal agencies will still participate in the harmonized EA conducted by the BC EAO.

There will be no public meetings associated with this CEAA comment period, but CEAA will participate in the public meetings held during the comment period on the draft AIR.

Stay tuned to www.coalwatch.ca, subscribe to coalalert, our announcement email list, and check the Environmental Assessments page.

Thank-you.