Interim staking withdrawal made to support Peel Watershed Regional Planning Process February 4, 2010
FOR RELEASE #10-018
February 4, 2010
Interim staking withdrawal made to support Peel Watershed Regional
Planning Process
Whitehorse – The Government of Yukon has issued an immediate one-year interim
withdrawal from mineral staking for all lands in the Peel Watershed Region in
order to provide certainty during the ongoing regional land use planning
process.
“This interim withdrawal ensures that the public, stakeholders
and First Nations involved in the process can fully review and assess the plan
on the basis of the current mineral claims in the region,” Premier Dennis Fentie
said. “This withdrawal will allow work on existing mineral claims while enabling
continued progress on the region’s planning process.”
Effective
immediately, the staking withdrawal applies to subsurface mineral staking
administered under the Quartz Mining Act and Placer Mining Act
until February 4, 2011. Rights for oil and gas, and coal will also not be
issued in the region during this period.
Current regulatory processes for
surface activities will continue to apply throughout the region. This interim
staking withdrawal does not pre-determine any outcomes in the planning
process.
To complete the planning process, the Government of Yukon is
working collaboratively with the First Nation of Na-cho Nyak Dun; Vuntut
Gwitchin First Nation; Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in; and the Gwich’in Tribal
Council.
The Yukon government will continue to follow the processes
outlined in Chapter 11 of the Final Agreements, to enable completion of the Peel
Watershed Regional Land Use Plan.
Later this year, the public and other
stakeholders will be provided with opportunities to offer their perspectives on
the Recommended Plan.
For more information on the Peel Watershed Regional
Planning process, visit www.emr.gov.yk.ca.
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