International and Individual State Environmental Impact Analysis Programs - Environmental Impact Analysis: Process and Methods - page 316

be conducted concurrently to achieve efficiency and cooperation. Also, the
coordination encourages active participation of both parties during the pro-
cess to avoid conflicts after a decision has been made.
Some of the anticipated changes in the process based on CEAA 2012 are
summarized below:

r Strict and compressed time restrictions placed on various govern-
ment reviews and other assigned responsibilities.
r Referral by the Minister of the Environment of a project to a review
panel with revised responsibilities and authority under CEAA 2012.
After receiving public comments, the panel makes recommendations
to the minister regarding further environmental analysis.
r Additional public participation requirements, including a new comment
period, when the agency is determining whether an EA is required.
r Access to the public of key project information and documents
related to an EA on the website of the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Registry.
r Emphasis on cooperation and communication with aboriginal
people on such topics as health and socioeconomic issues, cultural
heritage, land use and resources for traditional purposes, and items
that are culturally significant.
r Follow-up programs to verify the accuracy of the impact predictions
and to determine if mitigation measures are working as intended
are mandatory.
r Limitation on intervening parties to interested parties that are
directly affected by carrying out the designated project or have
relevant information or expertise.
r Elimination of potential multiple assessments by various federal
authorities.
r Creation of more severe enforcement mechanisms.

8.3 Australian Environmental Program

Application of the primary Australian environmental legislation (Environ-
mental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 or EPBC Act) is
broader than NEPA. It applies to three categories of actions with the first cover-
ing any potential effects on specific environmental resources and includes:

r World heritage properties
r National heritage places