By Chad Klassen

KAPA wants to see more openness with new federal panel

Aug 16, 2016 | 10:22 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Liberal government has introduced a four-person panel to examine environmental assessments for projects from pipelines to new mines, and the Kamloops Area Preservation association says it’s hopeful this panel will lead to more action on the Ajax mine project.

John Schleiermacher from KAPA says the current review process is not thorough and is flawed, with little room for public input and direct communication with the mine proponent, KGHM International. With this new federal panel, he feels it may create more opportunities to assess the Ajax project properly, but there’s still work ahead.

“Just the [federal] panel review itself is more than we’re getting, and they’ll have hearings in the panel. We don’t even have hearings to discuss the community’s concerns about the impact of this mine, so that’s just one step forward from where we’re getting now,” says Schleiermacher.

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“We need to be able to discuss it openly with the proponent about the impacts we’re really concerned about. Right now, it’s behind closed doors. The community is basically shut out of the process now.”

FURTHER READING: Federal government announces environmental assessment review panel