Why are Municipal Class EA…

Why are Municipal Class EA projects with significant potential impacts or property requirements, (particularly road widening projects) that are currently under the MCEA Schedule B or C, being removed from the MCEA, or at least not subject to future MPAP requirements? These projects have the potential for significant impacts on the adjacent environment and require the consideration of alternatives and consultation with adjacent members of the public, technical agency consultation etc.

The MCEA provides a standard and transparent process that ensures these impacts are addressed and that sufficient consultation with the public, indigenous communities, technical agencies etc are done. Without a consistent MCEA planning process in place, and left solely up to individual municipalities, the focus for projects will shift far too heavily to time and cost, without adequate resources or planning consistently given to other relevant criteria (eg noise, archaeology, cultural heritage, and natural, etc). Applying a consistent and transparent methodology which the MCEA currently provides is crucial to sustainable infrastructure planning and resource management.

I don’t agree with the decision to no longer subject these projects to a standardized process that the MCEA currently achieves. All municipal projects with the potential for impacts currently under the Schedule B or C MCEA requirements should either remain under the MCEA umbrella or be added to the proposed MPAP list of projects.