Environment Minister Terry Lake and Energy, Mines and Natural Gas Minister Rich Coleman have issued a conditional Environmental Assessment Certificate to Peace River Coal Inc. for the proposed Roman Coal Mine project, located 30 kilometres south of Tumbler Ridge.

The ministers made the decision to grant the Environmental Assessment Certificate after considering the review led by B.C.'s Environmental Assessment Office. They also considered supplemental information concerning the government of B.C.'s Peace Northern Caribou Plan, including funding already in place to support the plan and protection measures for 400,000 hectares of high-elevation winter caribou habitat across the South Peace area. A record of the factors that the ministers considered in making their decision can be found in the Reasons for Ministers' Decision at: http://ow.ly/g7eso

The Environmental Assessment Certificate includes 25 separate conditions (many with numerous sub-conditions). Each of the conditions is a legally binding requirement that Peace River Coal Inc. must meet to be in compliance with the certificate.

British Columbia's environmental assessment process involves a rigorous, thorough review that provides for significant opportunities for First Nations, government agencies and the public to provide input on the potential for environmental, economic, social, heritage and health effects of a proposed project.

The proposed project is a 499-hectare expansion of the existing Trend Mine. The components include:

• Three linear open pits.

• Waste rock dumps (with some backfilling into Trend pits).

• A network of mine access and haul roads tying into the existing Trend Mine access route.

• Water management structures (sedimentation ponds and collection ditches).

• An in-pit tailings management facility.

• Selenium, sulphate and nitrate treatment facilities.

• A new coal processing plant (for both the proposed Roman Mine and the Trend Mine).

If granted a Mines Act permit and other relevant permits, the proposed Roman Mine will be constructed on provincial Crown land and have a production capacity of two to four million tonnes of metallurgical coal per year for a ten-year production life.

The project has the potential to contribute over $54 million to GDP and create over 1,000 jobs in construction and 760 jobs in operations.

Peace River Coal Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AngloAmerican PLC, one of the world's largest mining companies, headquartered in London, UK, with operations in Africa, Europe, South and North America, Australia and Asia. PLC is the legal abbreviation of Public Limited Company, a type of limited company whose shares may be sold to the public.

Contact:

Communications
Ministry of Environment
250 387-9630