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Notice of Hearing
Teck Resources Limited
Frontier Oil Sands Mine Project

Oil Sands Conservation Act Application No. 1709793
Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act
Application No. 001-00247548
Water Act File No. 00303079

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Reference number 65505

June 6, 2018 — The Joint Review Panel (the Panel) established to review the proposed Frontier Oil Sands Mine Project (the Project) and conduct an assessment of the environmental effects of the Project has determined that the proponent, Teck Resources Limited (Teck), has provided sufficient information for the Panel to hold a public hearing for the Project. This notice explains how to request to participate in the hearing and sets out a schedule for the hearing.

Project Description
The Project includes the construction, operation and reclamation of an oil sands surface mine with a production capacity of about 41 300 m³/day (260,000 barrels per day) of bitumen. The project is located in northeastern Alberta, approximately 110 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. The project is a truck and shovel mine which includes two open pits, an ore preparation plant, a bitumen processing plant, tailings preparation and management facilities, cogeneration facilities, support utilities, disposal and storage areas, river water intake, a fish habitat compensation lake, bridge, roads, airfield and camp. The estimated project area is over 29,000 hectares. If the project is approved, it would operate for 41 years.

What happens next?
Hearing dates and locations have not been determined. The Panel intends to start the hearing as early as September, 2018. Submissions about preferred locations and dates for the hearing will be accepted with the requests to participate. The hearing will be open to the public to observe in person or via a live webcast.

How can I participate?
The hearing will provide Indigenous groups, interested parties, government authorities, and Teck with an opportunity to participate in the assessment. The Panel has determined that the following groups have demonstrated they may be affected by the Project, or have relevant information or expertise about the Project and are invited to participate in the hearings.

  • Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
  • Fort Chipewyan Métis Local 125
  • Fort McKay First Nation
  • Fort McKay Métis Community Association
  • Métis Nation of Alberta Association Fort McMurray Local Council 1935
  • Métis Nation of Alberta Association Lakeland Local Council 1909
  • Mikisew Cree First Nation
  • Oil Sands Environmental Coalition (OSEC)
  • Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Northern Alberta Chapter (CPAWS)
  • Keepers of the Athabasca
  • Aboriginal Consultation Office of Alberta Indigenous Relations, whose participation is provided for by Ministerial Order

These parties, except for the Aboriginal Consultation Office of Alberta Indigenous Relations, must, by noon MDT June 22, 2018:

  1. confirm their participation and contact information;
  2. describe the nature and scope of their intended participation, and
  3. provide their views on the hearing start date and preferred locations.

Teck Resources Limited, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Parks Canada Agency, Health Canada, Transport Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, are required to participate in the hearing and will receive written instructions from the Panel at a later date.

Groups or individuals not listed above who have an interest in the Project and wish to file a submission, submit evidence, make a statement, or participate at the hearing, must file a written request to participate by noon MDT June 22, 2018.

As the panel shall conduct the hearing in substantial accordance with the Alberta Energy Regulator's Rules of Practice, a request to participate should include the following;

a) a copy of your statement of concern or an explanation why you did not file one;
b) a concise statement indicating:

  • a description of how you would be affected by the carrying out of the Project , or
  • any relevant information or expertise you possess in relation to the Project, including:
    • the nature of your expertise or knowledge;
    • how your participation would assist the Panel; and,
    • how you will not repeat or duplicate evidence presented by other parties;

c) the nature and scope of your intended participation;
d) your contact information;
e) if you are acting on behalf of a group or association of people, the nature of your membership in the group or association.

Send your request to participate to @email. For efficiency please file your submissions as PDF documents with bookmarks, page numbers (with the first page in the document being numbered page one), and optical character recognition. In addition to the above, also include your views on the hearing start date and preferred locations. Note that applications will be considered public documents, and posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry for the Project.

Where can I find more information about the Project, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and the Hearing?
All documents are available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry website at canada.ca/ceaa-registry, reference number 65505. The Amended Joint Review Panel Agreement (Registry Document # 339) between the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) describes the Joint Review Panel's process and mandate.

To view the materials in person or for information on AER procedures, contact Tara Wheaton at +1-403- 297-8288 or email @email.

Is this a public process?
Yes. Section 49 of the Rules of Practice requires that all documents and information filed for a proceeding be placed on the public record. If you file a submission, you must not include any personal information that you do not want to appear on or are not authorized to put on the public record. Section 49(2) of the Rules of Practice states how to apply to the AER for an order to keep information confidential.

If my request to participate is approved, can I apply to be reimbursed for hearing-related costs?
If you are participating in a hearing, you may be eligible to have some of your costs paid. AER Directive 031: REDA Energy Cost Claims explains how and when to apply.

How do I raise a question of constitutional law?
You must give notice according to section 12 of the Administrative Procedures and Jurisdiction Act and schedule 2 of the Designation of Constitutional Decision Makers Regulation. In addition, you must include the following information:

  1. the constitutional question you intend to raise,
  2. the legal argument you intend to make, and
  3. the evidence you intend to rely on in support of your legal argument.

Schedule

Request to participate/confirmation of participation/ views on hearing dates and location

June 22 – noon MDT

Teck's responses to requests to participate

June 29

Submission filing deadline - Teck

July 13

Submission filing deadline - all other parties

August 17

Response filing deadline - Teck

August 31

Deadline for motions

September 4

Start of hearing

September, TBD

Details of the applications before the AER

Application Type Number Description

Oil Sands Conservation Act

1709793

To construct, operate, and reclaim a new oil sands mine and processing plant.

Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act

001-00247548

To construct, operate, and reclaim the Project.

Water Act

001-00303079

For approval to carry out activities for site water management associated with the project.

Water Act

001-00303091

For a Water Act licence for the annual diversion and use of water.

 

Frontier Oil Sands Mine Project Joint Review Panel