Sierra Club expects panel review for cleanup
By Tanya Collier Macdonald
Cape Breton Post - Front Page
Wed., May 26, 2004
SYDNEY - It's expected a panel review for
the cleanup of the tar ponds
and coke ovens sites will be
announced in the next few
days, says a Sierra Club of
Canada spokesperson.
Elizabeth May, executive
director of the national organization,
said she received
assurances from within Public
Works and Government Services
Canada that the cleanup
will get a more structured
version of an environmental
assessment as government
fast-tracks the process legally
required to start the work.
"I'm on an advisory panel
with (Public Works) Minister
Stephen Owen - I work quite
closely with him - and I certainly
understand him to favour a panel,
" said May.
Tuesday, just hours before
she was to meet with government
officials to discuss the
issue further, she told the Cape
Breton Post the details of the
assurance she's received are
still being sorted out.
" The question is one around
timing, " continued May.
Similar panel determined if bridge or tunnel would link two provinces
Subsequently, May said,
the organization wants the panel
to be appointed immediately -- not
after the project is defined by
the provincial and federal governments.
"If we wait until the project
is defined, we're not able to
thoroughly assess and explore
the options which are more
appropriate from an environmental
and health aspect," said May.
She said she expects the
effort would be similar to the
approach completed by a Canadian
Environmental Assessment
Agency Panel in 1998 that
dealt with the concept of
nuclear waste disposal by
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.
As well, a similar review was
used to determine if a bridge
or tunnel would be built to link
the provinces of New
Brunswick and Prince Edward
Island.
May said the environmental
assessment for the Sydney
cleanup shouldn't cause a delay
and should fit in the existing
timeline determined by both
the province and Ottawa.
"It should work over the
summer, " she said. "We don't
want delay. We're trying to get
things done in a way that expedites
the progress that everybody wants to see
without risking the the health of
everyone living nearby."
May said the assessment
could take six months if the
panel is properly crafted and
deadlines are imposed, or as
long as four years if the panel
is without time constraints.
tcmacdonald@cbpost.com
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