The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency confirmed it received the substitution requests on March 6 and held a public comment period on the proposals from March 15 to April 4.

Kent, who reviewed the substitutions under federal regulations of CEAA 2012 and the Substitution of Environmental Assessments (2013), said the requests met the needed conditions.

“I am satisfied that the conditions for substitution under CEAA 2012 will be met for these two projects and that the BC process is an appropriate substitute for these environmental assessments,” he said.

“At the conclusion of these substituted environmental assessment processes I will make an environmental assessment decision.

“Projects will only be allowed to proceed if they meet Canada’s rigorous environmental protection laws.”

Xstrata Coal Canada is proposing the development and operation of the Sukunka coal mine project, which will be an integrated surface and underground metallurgical coal mine.

It is expected to produce 1.5-2.5 million tonnes per annum to start, ramping up to 6Mtpa for a 20-year lifespan.

Carbon Creek is being proposed by Cardero Coal.

The metallurgical coal mine project will be open pit followed by combined open pit and underground mining.

The complex’s production rate would be 4.1Mtpa for two decades.