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To: ms.smartest.person who wrote (3012)	2/20/2008 2:04:42 PM
From: ms.smartest.person	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3198

CARBON TAX PROPOSED : AME BC praises B.C. government mining exploration funding British Columbia’s proposed Balanced Budget 2008 released Thursday contains enhancements that will both benefit and also take a bite out of the cost of mining exploration in the province. Author: By Dorothy Kosich Posted: Wednesday , 20 Feb 2008 RENO, NV - As British Columbia Finance Minister Carole Taylor Thursday presented a budget to encourage economic investment in the province, the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC) praised government funding for geoscience, mining company engagement with First Nations, and improvements in environmental assessment of mineral exploration projects. Specific budget appropriations that will assist B.C.'s mineral exploration industry include: * Cdn$6 million for Geoscience B.C. to further support mineral exploration in Mountain Pine-Beetle-affected regions of the province (in addition to $6 million for oil and gas exploration). * Cdn$30 million for three years to enhance engagement with First Nations when Crown land and resource decisions affect asserted aboriginal territories. The budget provision includes $1 million annually to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) to assist with aboriginal consultation and $9 million per year to fund intergovernmental coordinator of First Nations engagement related to Crown land and resources. * Cdn$21 million over three years, with $5 million for additional staff resources at the Environmental Assessment Office, to reduce environmental permitting backlogs, and $2 million allocated as a budget increase to help EAO manage the increasing number of major projects. In a news release Thursday, Dan Jepsen, President and CEO of AME BC, said, "The provisions announced in today's budget will help expedite the environmental assessment process providing mineral exploration companies with greater certainty that their applications can be processed in a timely manner, which will help attract increased investment in the province." "We applaud the B.C. government for its commitment to support engagement and consultation with First Nations. The mineral exploration industry sincerely hopes that the increased funding announced today will provide a useful framework that will enable resource companies and First Nations to continue to develop constructive working relationships that respect aboriginal interests while supporting economic development in the province," Jepsen concluded. Nevertheless, Finance Minister Taylor's budget include a carbon tax, which will apply to virtually all fossil fuels, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, coal propane and home heating fuel, which the B.C. government called is "among the broadest and most comprehensive in the world." The carbon tax is forecast to generate Cdn$1.849 billion in revenue over three years. In her presentation to the B.C. Legislative Assembly Thursday, Taylor said, "Our goal is this: Tax carbon-emitting fuels to discourage their use, and give money back to the people, back to businesses so they have control. They have the power to make their own choices about how the tax affects them." mineweb.co.za