Natural Resource Projects

Chin Reservoir Expansion - East Dam

Reference #: NRCBA #2401

Applicant: St. Mary River Irrigation District

Application Date: July 31, 2024

Status: Active

The formal application to the NRCB has now been been received. Details are in the Current Status section, below.

NRCB public interest review process

The NRCB’s public interest review process will commence when the application has been reviewed by Environment and Protected Areas and the NRCB, and any deficiencies have been addressed by the applicant. The timeframe for commencing the public interest review depends on the time required to review the application and the time required by the applicant to respond to the deficiencies.

The NRCB will issue a notice of hearing to advise the public when the application is complete and the public interest review process can commence.

Information about the NRCB's review process can be found at the following links:

Background

The proponent, St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID), submitted its environmental assessment report (EIA) / NRCB Application, including its EIA Summary Report, on July 31, 2024. The application will now be reviewed by the NRCB and Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA), and any deficiencies that are found sent to the proponent for response before the application is deemed complete. A Joint Notice of Filing with additional information will be published between August 13 and 15, 2024.

The proponent, St. Mary River Irrigation District, had submitted its application cover letter to the NRCB on July 11, 2024.

On November 30, 2023, Environment and Protected Areas sent a revised final Terms of Reference for the EIA to the proponent, St. Mary River Irrigation District.

On November 15, 2023, Environment and Protected Areas sent the final Terms of Reference for the EIA to the proponent, St. Mary River Irrigation District.

The proposed Terms of Reference were released for public and involved government reviewers comments on November 15, 2022.

In a letter dated February 22, 2022, EP advised the proponent that its proposed project is a mandatory activity pursuant to the Environmental Protection Assessment Act, and therefore the proponent is required to prepare and submit an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. The project is also reviewable by the NRCB under the water management project definition in the Natural Resources Conservation Board Act section 4(d).

Current Status

Environment and Protected Areas sent Supplemental Information Request (SIR1) to the proponent, St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID), on November 8, 2024. The next step is for SMRID to send its responses to SIR1 to EPA.

When the application is deemed complete, the NRCB will issue a Notice of Hearing to advise that the public interest review process can commence.

Contact

If you wish to receive automatic notification of all new documents and notices for this review, please fill out the sign up form, below. If you have a general inquiry or question, please contact:

Laura Friend, Manager, Board Reviews
Natural Resources Conservation Board
Telephone: 403-297-8269 (Toll-free: 310-0000)
Email: laura.friend@nrcb.ca

Media

For media inquiries, please contact NRCB communications at 780-720-2317.

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