Fording advised of application for judicial review
14 Agosto 2004 - 3:54AM
PR Newswire (US)
Fording advised of application for judicial review Trust Confident
in Approval Process of Cheviot Coal Mine Project CALGARY, Aug. 13
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fording Canadian Coal Trust (TSX: FDG.UN,
NYSE: FDG) advises that an application for judicial review has been
filed in the Federal Court of Canada by the Sierra Legal Defence
Fund on behalf of five environmental groups. The application seeks
to compel the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to undertake another
environmental assessment of the Cheviot Coal Mine Project in west
central Alberta. The Cheviot project was approved following a
thorough and lengthy environmental assessment process that spanned
over eight years. Elk Valley Coal has secured all necessary
provincial mining and environmental approvals and will commence
operations in the new mining area upon receipt of a Fisheries Act
Authorization from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans
(DFO). While the court application has the potential to delay the
project, Elk Valley Coal continues to believe that authorization
will be received on a timely basis. "We have a high level of
confidence in the process undertaken by the Minister of Fisheries
and Oceans and his department," said Jim Popowich, President and
CEO, Elk Valley Coal. "The project was rigorously reviewed with
appropriate due diligence by all parties involved. We believe all
federal and provincial environmental assessment requirements have
been properly completed for this project." The Cheviot project
enjoys wide community and First Nations support. Continued mining
will provide jobs and economic benefits for more than 20 years to
the region, which includes local communities such as Hinton and
Edson in Alberta. About Fording Fording Canadian Coal Trust is an
open-ended mutual fund trust. Through investments in metallurgical
coal and industrial minerals mining and processing operations, the
Trust makes quarterly cash distributions to unitholders. The Trust,
through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fording Inc., holds a 60%
interest in the Elk Valley Coal Partnership and is the world's
largest producer of the industrial mineral wollastonite. Elk Valley
Coal Partnership, comprised of Canada's senior metallurgical coal
mining properties, is the world's second largest exporter of
metallurgical coal, capable of supplying approximately 25 million
tonnes of high-quality coal products annually to the international
steel industry. The Trust's shares are traded on the Toronto Stock
Exchange under the ticker symbol FDG.UN and on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol FDG. DATASOURCE: Fording Canadian Coal
Trust CONTACT: Media Contact: Elk Valley Coal Corporation, Dermot
Lane, Director, Public and Environmental Affairs, (403) 260-9816;
Community Contact: Cardinal River Operations, Lloyd Metz, General
Manager, (780) 692-5110; Investor Contact: Susan J. Soprovich,
Director, Investor Relations, Fording Canadian Coal Trust, (403)
269-9834, ; Catherine Hart, Coordinator, Investor Relations, (403)
260-9817,
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