The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency started an assessment on Bingay Friday and is now seeking comments on aspects of the environment that may be impacted by the project.

Anyone can review and comment on the guidelines of the draft environmental impact statement, which identifies the potential effects that must be taken into consideration as plans for Bingay progress.

Written comments must be submitted to the CEAA by February 17. Information is available on the project at its web site (registry number 80024) and at the public libraries of Elkford, Sparwood, Fernie and Cranbrook, BC.

The Canadian Environment Assessment Agency said it had to open the floor for public comment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, or CEAA 2012, for responsible resource development in the country.

Centremount purchased the Bingay Creek coal property from Canadian miner Hillsborough Resources in November 2009 for $C5.9 million in cash.

It first announced plans for Bingay’s development in January 2012, including the construction, operation and decommissioning of the open pit and underground complex near Elkford in southeastern BC.

If all goes as planned, the operations could come online in 2016 and produce 2 million tonnes of met coal annually over a 20-year lifespan.

Centremount Coal Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centerpoint Resources and holds 100% of the Bingay metallurgical property, including coal exploration licenses totaling 1,157 hectares issued by the British Columbia Ministry of Energy and Mines.

A total of 15.5Mt million tonnes of open pit mine measured and indicated resources have been identified for total compliant resource of 17.9Mt.