Joint Review Panel Invites Comment on the Revised Application for Proposed
Joslyn North Mine Project

OTTAWA, March 16 /CNW Telbec/ - The Joint Review Panel reviewing the proposed Joslyn North Mine project near Fort McMurray, Alberta, announced today the beginning of a comment period on the revised Application and additional information filed by the proponent, Total E&P Canada Ltd. This comment period provides interested parties an opportunity to express their views to the Joint Review Panel on the adequacy of this new information.

The Joint Review Panel was established in August 2008 to assess the environmental effects of the proposed project and review the Application filed by the proponent. In September 2008, after reviewing the information, the Joint Review Panel determined that it would require additional information from the proponent. Before the Application can proceed to the public hearing phase, the Joint Review Panel must determine that it has adequate information.

In 2009, Total E&P Canada Ltd. announced its intention to modify the project technology. It recently submitted a revised Application, Energy Resources Conservation Board Application No. 1445535, and the additional information requested by the Joint Review Panel.

Please forward your comments by mail, e-mail or fax to the attention of the Joint Review Panel Secretariat, on or before May 17, 2010, at its address set out below. All comments and proposed information requests received by the Joint Review Panel will be treated as public documents and posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet site for this project.

    
    Panel Secretariat
    Joint Review Panel / Joslyn North Mine Project
    Energy Resources Conservation Board
    2nd Floor, P.O. Box 15
    9915 Franklin Avenue
    Fort McMurray, AB T9H 2K4
    Tel.: [phone]
    Fax: [phone]
    E-mail: [email protected]
    

To allow the Joint Review Panel and interested parties sufficient time to review the new information, the Agreement to Establish a Joint Panel for the Joslyn North Mine Project has been amended to allow the Joint Review Panel discretion to set appropriate timelines based on the volume of new information filed by the proponent.

The revised Application, along with more information on this project, is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca , under reference number 08-05-37519. Paper copies of the Application may be viewed at the following location:

    
    Energy Resources Conservation Board
    2nd Floor, P.O. Box 15
    9915 Franklin Avenue
    Fort McMurray, AB T9H 2K4
    

To obtain information on the panel review process and be kept informed of the Joint Review Panel's activities, provide a full mailing or e-mail address to the Panel Secretariat at the address indicated above.

Next steps and Key Dates

    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Activities                                             Deadlines
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Interested parties submit comments to the Joint        May 17, 2010
    Review Panel
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Proponent replies to the comments submitted            June 7, 2010
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Joint Review Panel determines if it has adequate       June 21, 2010
    information to proceed to the hearing
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

Once the Joint Review Panel is satisfied that the information is adequate, it will announce the details of the public hearing, including the hearing commencement date, the hearing venue, and any prehearing process and will provide a minimum of 60 days notice prior to the start of the hearing.

About the Project

The Joslyn North Mine project proposed by Total E&P Canada Ltd. includes the construction, operation, and reclamation of an oil sands surface mine and bitumen extraction facilities located approximately 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray on Oil Sands Leases. The proposed development includes an open pit, truck and shovel mine, ore handling facility, bitumen extraction facilities, tailings processing facilities, support infrastructure, water and tailings management plans, and an integrated reclamation plan. The Joslyn North Mine project is designed to produce 15,900 cubic metres per day (100,000 barrels per day) of bitumen.

About the Joint Review Panel

The Joint Review Panel for the Joslyn North Mine project is an independent body, mandated by the Minister of the Environment and the Chairman of the Energy Resources Conservation Board to assess the environmental effects of the proposed project and review the Application.

Additional Information / Copy of the Application

To obtain additional information on the project or a copy of the application, contact:

    
    Geoff Chow
    Manager of Regulatory Affairs
    Total E & P Canada Ltd.
    2900, 240 - 4th Avenue S.W.Calgary, AB T2P 4H4
    Tel.: [phone]
    E-mail: [email protected]
    

For further information: media may contact: Annie Roy, Senior Communications Advisor, Panel Secretariat/Joslyn North Mine Project, Tel.: [phone]