OTTAWA, August 17, 2012– The Joint Review Panel (the Panel) established to review the proposed Jackpine Mine Expansion Project has determined that it has sufficient information to proceed to a public hearing. The Panel's decision is based on its review of the Environmental Impact Statement/Application and additional information including supplementary information responses provided by the proponent, Shell Canada Energy, as well as comments received and all other information available on the public registry.
The Panel is of the view that although additional information is required from the proponent, the required information is minor in nature. The Panel has provided a list of additional information required from the proponent before the hearing and in its letter of August 16, 2012, Shell Canada Energy has made a commitment to provide the requested information by September 7, 2012.
The hearing of the Joint Review Panel (Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) Application No. 1554388) will commence on October 29, 2012, at 1:00 p.m. at MacDonald Island Park, 1 C.A Knight Way in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
The public hearing will give interested individuals and organizations an opportunity to question the proponent about its Environmental Impact Statement/Application and supporting information and to provide their views to the Panel.
Interested parties who wish to file a submission or submit evidence at the hearing must file their submission no later than October 1, 2012, to:
Joint Review Panel Secretariat
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3
Tel.: 1-866-582-1884
Fax: 613-957-0941
Shell.Reviews@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
Questions of constitutional law must be sent to the Panel Secretariat, to the address indicated above, no later than October 1, 2012. These questions, if applicable, will be addressed the week prior to the start of the hearing, on October 23, starting at 9 a.m., at MacDonald Island Park. The Panel will issue further directions regarding the process for any questions of constitutional law to the parties interested in the questions.
Additional information on the joint review process and how to participate is available in a backgrounder on the public registry at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca under reference number 59540. All documents related to the Environmental Impact Statement/Application are also available on the Registry.
To be kept informed of the Panel's activities and be part of the Panel distribution list, provide an e-mail address to the Panel Secretariat at the above address.
Shell Canada Energy is proposing to expand the Jackpine Mine project. The expansion would include additional mining areas and associated processing facilities, utilities and infrastructure. The project would be located about 70 km north of Fort McMurray on the east side of the Athabasca River. The expansion project would increase bitumen production by 100,000 barrels per day, bringing production at the mine to 300,000 barrels per day.
The Joint Review Panel for the proposed Jackpine Mine Expansion project is an independent body, mandated by the Minister of the Environment and the Chairman of the Energy Resources Conservation Board to assess the environmental effects of the proposed project and review the Application.
