Recommendations of new joint review panel need to be adhered to

Concerns are being voiced about the environmental process for the proposed Frontier Oilsands Mine project, as the federal government solicits input from the public on a draft agreement to establish a joint review panel. “While the scope of the panel’s mandate is sufficient to capture some of the key impacts of the Frontier Mine on Aboriginal communities, we believe the real issue is how Alberta and Canada address the recommendations and findings of the panel,” said Daniel Stuckless, manager, environment and regulatory with Fort McKay First Nation. “However, in our experience neither Alberta nor Canada follows up on recommendations made by joint review panels.” Teck Resources Limited is proposing to develop and operate a new oilsands mine and processing plant about 100 kilometres north of Fort McMurray and 110 kilometres south of Fort Chipewyan, in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.