Notice of approval – terms of reference

Proponent: County of Northumberland
Environmental assessment file number: EA-03-08-02

As provided for by subsection 6(4) of the Environmental Assessment Act, Terms of Reference, as submitted for approval to the Ministry of the Environment on January 28, 2011 and revised through the submission of an amended Terms of Reference dated March 2011 to govern the preparation of an environmental assessment for the above-noted undertaking, is hereby approved.

Pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, any environmental assessment for the above-noted undertaking, submitted to the Ministry of the Environment pursuant to subsection 6.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, must be prepared in accordance with the amended Terms of Reference as hereby approved.

Reasons

I am satisfied that an environmental assessment (EA) prepared in accordance with the amended Terms of Reference (ToR) will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) and the public interest for the following reasons:

  1. The amended ToR ensures that the EA will be completed using a comprehensive public, Aboriginal and government agency consultation process that is open and transparent;
  2. The amended ToR provides sufficient level of detail to confirm that the completed EA will contain a sufficient level of detail to accurately assess the environmental effects of all alternatives and the proposed undertaking;
  3. The amended ToR sets out a planning process that will ensure the completed EA will be consistent with the purpose of the EAA and the public interest; and,
  4. There are no outstanding issues that have not been incorporated into the amended ToR or that cannot be addressed during the preparation of the EA.

Dated the 20th day of April, 2011 at Toronto.

Original signed by:
Minister of the Environment
77 Wellesley Street West
11th Floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2T5