Environment committee  In response to the second part of your question, with respect to whether there is a point at which impacts become so great that the federal government intervenes--I think that's more or less where you were getting--

Environment committee  The federal environmental assessment process does require that transboundary impacts be considered as part of any project level environmental assessment. But to my knowledge there isn't any authority that exists in legislation or regulation that gives the federal government the a

Environment committee  That would be speculation really on my part to proclaim on that. Sorry.

Environment committee  No, I'm sorry. We don't have that level of technical information.

Environment committee  I understand that this is the case, yes.

Environment committee  I should clarify. We have what we call harmonization agreements with the various provinces. Under those agreements, we agree to cooperate in a way that facilitates an efficient and effective environmental assessment process that basically meets the needs of both jurisdictions.

Environment committee  In situations where we had a review panel, normally what will happen is we will have one panel that consists of members appointed by both jurisdictions. Very often, if we're working in cooperation with provincial jurisdiction--the Bureau d'audiences publiques, for example, in Que

Environment committee  It would be very unusual for there to be disagreement between the members that makes its way into the final report.

Environment committee  Yes.

Environment committee  I certainly don't have expertise. I'm sorry.

Environment committee  No, I'm sorry.

Environment committee  No, I'm sorry.

Environment committee  By the Commission.

Environment committee  At the federal level, the triggers for the process constitute a very important factor. In the case of hydro-electric projects, the triggers reside primarily with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Environment committee  Indeed. Just about every hydro-electric project has to be approved in accordance with the Fisheries Act or the Navigable Waters Protection Act. In each case, there is a trigger and an assessment has to be conducted. With oil sands projects, there is no trigger for the situations