The Pasqua First Nation has settled a dispute with the minister of environment over a proposed Quill Lakes watershed project.
The controversial project would have seen water diverted from the area of Quill Lakes down into Last Mountain Lake. This would have been done to help ease the burden of floods on landowners in the area.
Late last year, the Saskatchewan government decided an environmental review wasn’t necessary for the project, as it wasn’t labelled as a development.
This is something Pasqua First Nation Chief Todd Peigan took exception to, as he filed a court application in response.
Chief Peigan announced this morning that a settlement has now been reached between themselves, the minister of environment and the Quill Lakes Watershed Association.
“I am very pleased to announce that after months of settlement discussions, we have settled the judicial review application commenced,” read a statement released by the chief. “Our court application challenged the minister’s decision, which wrongly exempted the (project) from the requirements of Saskatchewan’s Environmental Assessment Act, ruling that it was not a “development” within the meaning of the act.”
In the settlement, the minister of environment agreed not to recognize this previous decision and is committed to consulting with the First Nation on this project moving forward.
“So it is back to square one for this project,” said Peigan.
The minister has also agreed that a public disclosure would be made on any application to have any future project exempted from the Environmental Assessment Act.
“It is critical that we not lose sight of the reason why a full environmental assessment is needed for any future project,” Peigan’s statement read. “The Quill Lakes flooding problem is big enough, and any solution to it is sufficiently consequential in terms of potential environmental effects, that it should undergo a full assessment.”
The Pasqua First Nation’s biggest concern in the project was that it would divert contaminated flood waters from the Quill Lakes into Last Mountain Lake.
They believe this could have a negative impact on the local environment and the traditional hunting, fishing and trapping rights of local First Nations.
(PHOTO: Pasqua First Nation logo. Photo courtesy of aboriginalbusinessmatch.com)