A recent Auditor General’s report on the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) is confirmation to Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald’s position that the agency is failing in its mission to protect environmental values in the province.

Citing the July 4 report ‘An Audit of the Environmental Assessment Office’s Oversight of Certified Projects,’ Macdonald noted in a press release that the EAO’s oversight of certified projects is not sufficient to ensure that potential significant adverse effects are avoided or mitigated.

Auditor General John Doyle reported that improved oversight is required from the EAO.

“Major projects such as mines or power plants must be considered for an environmental assessment prior to their development. This assessment weighs not only the potential environmental effects of the project, but its potential economic, social, heritage and health effects as well,” said a July 4 auditor general’s press release.

“When an environmental assessment certificate is issued, the conditions and commitments surrounding its issue should be measurable and enforceable so staff can monitor the project for compliance with the certificate conditions,” the release added.

“Because this does not happen consistently, the Environmental Assessment Office cannot assure British Columbians that the conditions and commitments stated in the environmental assessment certificate are being met. Adequate monitoring and enforcement of certified projects is not occurring and follow-up evaluations are not being conducted. We also found that information currently being provided to the public is not sufficient to ensure accountability,” Doyle stated.

“We rely on the environmental assessment process to first make good decisions about what projects should go ahead, and then to ensure that all mitigation measures are followed. But it is clear that the EAO does not have the facility to actually make sure this happens,” Macdonald said.

He explained that an environmental assessment certificate is a legal document that a proponent of a project must adhere to for the life of the project. The certificate includes conditions, which are common to every project, and commitments, which are specific and critical to reducing adverse project impacts.

Commitments are made by a proponent to avoid or mitigate potential significant adverse environmental, economic, social, heritage and health effects of a project. The EAO is then responsible for monitoring certified projects throughout their life, he continued.

“The Auditor General has said that the EAO is failing in its responsibility to monitor current projects. So projects are going ahead, sometimes against the wishes of the people in the area, and even the most basic requirements that are put in place are being ignored,” Macdonald said.

“In the case of so many of these projects, local people have little or no say about how the land will be used. We are asked to just trust the government to make a decision and to trust the authorities to make sure that developers follow the rules. But not even that is happening,” said Macdonald, citing Jumbo Glacier Resort and the Beaver River private power project as local examples of how the EA has missed the mark.

“People in this area are passionate about finding the best use for our backcountry.  We deserve to have a process that includes and respects local knowledge and opinions. And we have to have confidence that the Environmental Assessment actually works,” Macdonald concluded.

Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett opted not to provide e-KNOW with his position on this.

Doyle’s report makes six recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the Environmental Assessment Office, which government has accepted.

“I am encouraged that, during the course of our audit, the Environmental Assessment Office addressed some of the noted deficiencies, such as appointing a Director of Strategy and Quality Assurance,” said Doyle. “I look forward to receiving updates on the implementation of our recommendations through our follow-up process.”

The Auditor General is a non-partisan, independent Officer of the Legislature who reports directly to the Legislative Assembly. The Auditor General Act empowers the Auditor General and staff (known as the Office of the Auditor General or OAG) to conduct audits, report findings and make recommendations.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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