Environmental Assessment Office Details Next Steps for Pacific Booker Minerals

Resource Investing News

Pacific Booker Minerals (TSXV:BKM) reported that Doug Caul, Associate Deputy Minister, published a letter sent to Erik Tornquist, Executive VP & COO, on the Environemental Assessment Office website regarding the proposed Morrison Copper/Gold Project. The letter details the next steps in the permitting process.

Below is the full text:

Reference: 104290
June 25, 2014
SENT VIA EMAIL
Erik Tornquist, Executive VP & COO
Pacific Booker Minerals Inc.
e.tornquist@pacificbooker.bc.ca
Chief Wilf Adam
Lake Babine Nation
wilf.adam@lakebabine.com
Gordon Sebastian, Executive Director
Gitxsan Treaty Society
gsebastian@gitxsan.com
Glen Williams, Chief Negotiator
Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs
malii@gitanyowchiefs.com
Dear 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:
1. The Environmental Assessment Office will refer this application back
to the Ministers for consideration pursuant to section 17(1) of the
Environmental Assessment Act (Act). We will advise the parties once
the referral has occurred.
2. Ministers Polak and Bennett will be provided a referral package consisting
of the following:
a. The Assessment Report dated August 21, 2012;
b. The Reasons and Recommendations of the Executive Director dated
September 20, 2012; and
c. 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.
3. 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.
Sincerely,
Doug Caul
Associate Deputy Minister
cc: Dominique Nouvet
Woodward and Co. Lawyers LLP
dominique@woodwardandcompany.com
Davide Latremouille,
Skeena Fisheries Commission
dlatremouille@skeenafisheries.ca
Lisa Walls, Regional Director, Pacific and Yukon Region
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Lisa.Walls@ceaa-acee.gc.ca