A new resource is available to help municipalities integrate environmental assessment into decision-making and planning processes.
Local land use and planning decisions made by municipalities play an essential role in the management and protection of Alberta’s environment. Environmental assessments (EA) improve decision-making by facilitating consideration of environmental, social, cultural, and economic impacts of proposed land uses at the municipal planning and individual project decision levels.
A new publication by the Environmental Law Centre, developed as part of the Community Conserve Initiative, is aimed at assisting municipalities integrate EA into decision-making and planning processes.
The Model EA Bylaw provides a template for a municipal EA bylaw which includes provisions addressing objectives, application of the bylaw, process, prohibitions, and definitions. For those seeking further information on municipal authority over environmental matters and EA, there is also a Primer to the Model Bylaw.
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You can access the Model EA Bylaw, along with the Primer, free from the Community Conserve website by clicking here. Community Conserve is a joint initiative of the Miistakis Institute and the Environmental Law Centre, with the support of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) and the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA).
For more information go to www.communityconserve.ca
For enquiries, please contact:
Tasha Blumenthal
Director, External Relations and Advocacy
tasha@RMAlberta.com
780.955.4094
Matt Dow
Policy Analyst
Matt@RMAlberta.com
780.955.4085