The B.C. governmentB次元官网网址檚 new environmental regulations have taken effect, with new standards for public and Indigenous consultation for industrial projects that apply in 2020.

The NDP governmentB次元官网网址檚 overhauled Environmental Assessment Act is in force as of December, in what Premier John Horgan has described as the first of many laws amended to conform to the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The province became the first jurisdiction in the world to commit to implement UNDRIP during the fall legislature session.

Environment Minister George Heyman said more work remains to make environmental assessment work as intended. One issue he identified when the law was amended was that Indigenous communities often have overlapping territorial claims, and donB次元官网网址檛 agree with one another about whether an industrial project should proceed.

B次元官网网址淎dditional regulations to address dispute resolution, application of Indigenous knowledge and other concerns to Indigenous people are being developed in collaboration with Indigenous leaders and nations in a process guided by the new Declaration o the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act,B次元官网网址� Heyman said.

RELATED:

RELATED:

must now include additional comment periods and earlier collaboration between the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and local communities. The province has legislated requirements to consider economic, social, cultural and health effects of projects, including the provinceB次元官网网址檚 ability to meet greenhouse gas emission targets.

The new assessment procedure promises to keep the previous governmentB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渙ne project, one assessmentB次元官网网址� approach between federal, provincial and Indigenous jurisdictions, although B次元官网网址渆ach jurisdiction retains its decision-making authority,B次元官网网址� the ministry said in a statement this week.

Also in effect are for using water in mineral exploration and small-scale placer mining operations, which have historically not required provincial permission. The new rules limit the size of an unregulated exploration or mining camp to 20 people.

The ministry can also require a permit B次元官网网址渋f there is a risk of potential impacts to streams, other authorized water users or cultural heritage resources, such as sites that have historical or archaeological significance to a community or Indigenous peoples.B次元官网网址�

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .