Regulatory

Ministre de l'Environnement
Minister of the Environment
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0H3

Jul 14, 2011

Friends of Bute Inlet
buteinlet@gmail.com

Dear Ms. Keller:

Thanks you for your email message of February 21, concerning the proposed Bute Inlet Hydrolectric project (the Project).

As Bute Hydro Inc. (the proponent) does not currently intend to move forward with the Project through the environmental assessment process, I disbanded the review panel (the Panel) on March 18. The Panel members are therefore released from their obligations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

The environmental assessment of the Project is not, however, being terminated. Should the proponent decide at a later date to proceed with the Project, I will appoint a new Panel to conduct the review.

Please note that my decision is available to the public through the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's public registry Web site at http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/details-eng.cfm?evaluation=44825.

Sincerely,

signed for

The Honourable Peter Kent, P.C., M.P.

Click here to download a copy of the signed letter

Public Notice, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, March 18, 2011

BUTE INLET HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT - REVIEW PANEL DISBANDED

The Panel established under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (the Act) to conduct the environmental assessment of the proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project (the project) in British Columbia has been disbanded.

This is an extract from a letter from Bute Hydro Inc. to the chair of the federal review panel.

News Release, CEAA, January 21, 2010

"OTTAWA, January 21, 2010 - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is postponing its participant funding process for the proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project in British Columbia due to changes in timelines associated with the submission of the Environmental Impact Statement.

December 7, 2009 -- Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have taken the following course of action on December 7, 2009 relating to the screening of the Upper Toba Valley Hydroelectric Project. The authorities may exercise any power or perform any duty or function with respect to the project because, after taking into consideration the screening report and taking into account the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures, the authorities are of the opinion that the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

This is an extract from a December 3, 2009 letter from Bute Hydro Inc. to the Chair of the federal Review Panel.

"Upon review, we believe that additional fieldwork and analysis regarding some of the VECs [valued ecosystem components] are required before we will be in a position to submit our EIS.

"BHI will be focusing on additional fisheries baseline studies and hydrology in greater depth through the spring and fall of 2010. ... Once this data has been compiled and analyzed, BHI will be in a position to re-evaluate the timeline for submitting our EIS.

"We remain committed to successfully permitting and developing the Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project."

Click here for the complete document.

The Federal Review Panel and the Secretariat visited Bute Inlet by boat and by air, visited Toba Inlet, and flew the entire transmission line route on September 1 & 2, 2009.

A report summary, maps and photographs (some quite excellent) was released on November 9, and is available here.

News Release, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, July 16, 2009

OTTAWA – July 16, 2009 – Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced today the establishment of a three-member federal review panel for the proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project in British Columbia.

Minister Prentice appointed Les Cooke as panel chair, as well as Ian Birtwell and George Kupfer as panel members. Biographical information on the panel chair and members is available in the accompanying backgrounder.

News Release, CEAA, May 21, 2009

OTTAWA - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) is making available $250,000 under its Participant Funding Program to assist groups and individuals to participate in the environmental review for the proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric project in British Columbia.

News Release, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, May 13, 2009

Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced today that the proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric Project located about 150 km north of Powell River in British Columbia will undergo an environmental assessment by a federal review panel. The Minister's decision of May 5, 2009, follows a request from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.