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EA processes being updated need public comments until September. Details here.<div><br></div><div>Lulu <br><br><br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS">Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone</a><br><br><p class="yahoo-quoted-begin" style="font-size: 15px; color: #715FFA; padding-top: 15px; margin-top: 0"><span style="color: #AAAAAA;">Begin forwarded message:</span><br><br>On Monday, July 5, 2021, 5:57 PM, EA Modernization (MECP) <EAModernization.MECP@ontario.ca> wrote:</p><blockquote class="iosymail"><div id="yiv3278985899">
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<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Hello,</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">The Ontario government is updating the almost 50-year-old environmental assessment (EA) program to support building safer and stronger communities,
while maintaining strong environmental oversight. </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">That’s why, over the past two years, the government has been working to build a strong environmental assessment program that considers the input
of local communities and focuses on projects that have the highest impact to the environment. As part of this plan, we are developing sensible, practical changes that would ensure environmental protection while reducing delays on infrastructure projects that
matter most to Ontario communities. </span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">As you may be aware, the ministry has been consulting on a proposed list of projects which would be subject to the comprehensive environmental assessment
requirements in Part II.3 of the <i>Environmental Assessment Act</i> (to be proclaimed). The notice can be found at:
</span><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-2377"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-2377</span></a><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">.</span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">I am writing today to share some information with you on the ministry’s new proposal to update the environmental assessment requirements for establishing electricity
transmission line projects. These proposed changes, if approved, will update EA requirements for critical transmission infrastructure to support expanded access to lower carbon energy sources from Ontario’s electricity grid, promote regional economic development
and shorten-times for building critical infrastructure projects across the province.
</span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;color:black;">The proposed changes, if made, would update the thresholds that determine which projects are required to undergo an individual (comprehensive) EA process This would align the thresholds
with those used by the federal government for international electrical transmission lines to help streamline the approvals process for critical transmission infrastructure.
</span><span style="font-family:serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:sans-serif;color:black;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:sans-serif;color:black;">We are proposing that transmission lines 75 km or more in length and 345 kV or greater in voltage would be required to complete an individual
environmental assessment. We are also proposing that establishing other transmission lines that are more than 2 km in length and with a nominal voltage of 115 kV or more would
</span><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:sans-serif;">follow the Class Environmental Assessment for Minor Transmission Facilities (Class EA), as amended from time to time.
</span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="line-height:115%;font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Details of our policy proposal, including the proposed thresholds for transmission line projects are available on the Environmental Registry of Ontario here:
</span><u><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" href="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-3937" title="https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-3937"><span style="color:#6888C9;">https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-3937</span></a></u>.<span style="font-family:sans-serif;">
</span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><b><u><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration:none;"> </span></span></u></b></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><b><u><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">How you can provide input</span></u></b><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">The ministry is looking for your feedback on our proposal
<span style="color:black;">to update the environmental assessment requirements for transmission line projects.</span></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Please review the proposal and submit your comments via the Environmental Registry of Ontario here or directly by e-mail to
</span><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" ymailto="mailto:EAmodernization.mecp@ontario.ca" target="_blank" href="mailto:EAmodernization.mecp@ontario.ca"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">EAmodernization.mecp@ontario.ca</span></a><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> by
<b>September 3, 2021.</b> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Please do not hesitate to contact the ministry at
</span><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" ymailto="mailto:EAmodernization.mecp@ontario.ca" target="_blank" href="mailto:EAmodernization.mecp@ontario.ca"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">EAmodernization.mecp@ontario.ca</span></a><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> with any questions you may have at any time.
</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Sincerely,</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal" style="line-height:115%;"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Annamaria Cross</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"><br>
</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Director, Environmental Assessment Modernization</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"><br>
</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks</span><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"></span></p>
<p class="yiv3278985899MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
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