In my opening statement in paragraph 13, where departmental officials are still looking for clarity, this again will be in the regulations, so what is the project list going to be?
My understanding right now is that the comprehensive studies project list will essentially be the basis for the projects eligible for assessments under the revised CEAA. The critical issue is that for those screenings for which mitigation measures are required, under the plan, as far as I can understand it, those screenings would be dropped.
There's a list of them. Where the threshold is under 3,000 tonnes for metal mines, that would not be subject to a federal EA, or for oil sands under 10,000 cubic metres a day, or for any offshore exploratory wells or seismic.... Those are specific areas where I think probably the agency would be better at answering this.
I'll wind up, Mr. Chair, simply by saying the upper threshold screenings, as far as we understand, will be dropped entirely. Where the screenings are close to comprehensive studies I think is an important area to be elaborated in the regulations.