A new resource to help municipalities integrate environmental assessment into their decision-making and planning processes
This article is Part 3 of the Municipalities and Environmental Law Series developed as part of the Community Conserve Initiative. Community Conserve is a forum for Alberta municipalities to identify common environment and conservation issues, then pool their resources to address them. It is managed by the Miistakis Institute and Environmental Law Centre with the support of AUMA and RMA.
The local land use and planning decisions made by municipalities play an essential role in the management and protection of Alberta’s environment. Better decision-making is enabled by environmental assessment (EA) by facilitating consideration of environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts of proposed land uses both at the municipal planning and individual project decision levels.
Two new publications by the Environmental Law Centre, developed as part of the Community Conserve Initiative, are aimed at helping municipalities integrate EA into their 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.
GET INVOLVED!
Community Conserve only works if municipal personnel participate. Post ideas, and vote on the ideas already there – no registration required!
The Community Conserve team converts the ones with the most votes into Project Plans, and posts them back on the site.
If a project looks like it will help your municipality, and you think you can help fund it, go to Fund a Project and let Community Conserve know you are thinking about it.
