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Development of NEATS Project for Efficient Environmental Assessments

Learn about the historical background and progression of the National Environmental Assessment Tracking System (NEATS), its benefits, timelines, and future vision for streamlining environmental assessments in Canada. Discover the phases, advantages, and integration aspects of NEATS.

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Development of NEATS Project for Efficient Environmental Assessments

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  1. National Environmental Assessment Tracking System (NEATS) 27th Annual Conference International Association for Impact Assessment Seoul, Korea June 3-9, 2007

  2. Presentation Outline • NEATS project • History and background • Feasibility Study /IEATS • Timelines • Phase I • Advantages/Benefits • Phase II, III • NEATS Vision

  3. NEATS project History and background In 2004 the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) was transferred from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to Transport Canada (TC). NWPA authorizations is a regulatory trigger listed under the Law List Regulations of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA)

  4. NEATS project History and background • Implications for TC of the NWPA transfer: • TC has become a major player in federal EA in Canada • Significant increase in EA completed yearly • Complexity • Diversity • Level of resource • Operational adjustments • This resulted in the requirement to improve efficiency of EA operationsand the overall information management capacity.

  5. NEATS project History and background Before NWPA After NWPA

  6. NEATS project History and background TC National Environmental Assessment Workshop • A Working Group was created • NEATS development was planned in multiple development Phases: • Feasibility study and Interim EA Tracking System (IEATS) • Followed by the NEATS development Phase I, II, II • A feasibility study was initiated to evaluate: • Existing applications from other department, and • Developing a new application • An interim (IEATS) system was developed to respond to immediate needs for information management

  7. Working group: Regional offices staff HQ Programs staff NEATS developers: Group lead by HQ-EA Assisted by HQ-IT Consultant Working group members Buy-in of future NEATS users Vancouver NEATS project History and background Moncton Canada Winnipeg Winnipeg Montréal Vancouver Ottawa Toronto Moncton USA Source: Vascutec

  8. NEATS projectFeasibility study We did not want to reinvent the wheel! • The feasibility study evaluated existing tracking system form TC and from the following department: • Natural Resources Canada; Environment Canada; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Indian and Northern Affairs Canada • 3 options identified as feasible by the Study • Working group decided to use the Environment Canada tracking system as a starting point for NEATS development

  9. NEATS projectTimelines March 2004: Transfer of NWPA October 2004: TC-National EA Workshop November 2004: End of Transition Period March 2005:IEATS April 2005: Completion of Feasibility Study June 2005: Working group decision on Feasibility Study August 2005: Transfer of tracking system from Environment Canada

  10. NEATS projectTimelines Year 2006-07: • Administrative processes to develop/implement new system; • Development and pre-production testing of NEATS • Development and testing of the bulk data Transfer Tool. April 2007: Phase I placed into production, live on TC network. June 2007: • EA Officers national training sessions; • Transfer of data from IEATS, closing of IEATS. 2007-08: Phase II 2008-09: Phase III

  11. NEATS project Phase I Basic project information tracking with additional capacities: • Automated translation in both official languages: • Translation contract in place • Link to guidance documents: • TC and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency • Project file: • Link to RDIMS (TC document management system) • E-mails, letters, studies, reports, maps, etc. • Project library • Project consultation tracking and monitoring • Internal/external • Automated timeline functions of CEAA process • Search function

  12. NEATS projectCurrent advantage/benefits • National Consistency • Time saving, Quality and Consistency of project information • Drop down menus • Requirement for minimum project information • Project information stored in same location • NEATS and RDIMS • Accessible to all users regionally and nationally

  13. NEATS projectPhase II • Increase Reporting Capacity • General statistical reports: number of EAs per region / given time frame / trigger, etc. • Canadian Environment Assessment Agency annual report • Create EA Screening/Class Screening Reports • Increase the Search tool capacity • Task log book • Staff turn over/leaves • Tracking Staff hours worked on project: (?) • Resource justification

  14. NEATS projectPhase III Integration: • Other TC Environmental IT System under development: • The Environmental Information System (GIS) • Contaminated sites, EMS, Storage Tanks, Real Property, etc. • The NWPA database • Site pictures, maps, detailed design drawings • The Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry

  15. NEATS Vision • Buy-in! • Moved from a Tracking System to an integrated Information Management System • Evolving and adapting to changing needs • Useful to EA officers daily work • Improve TC EA operations

  16. Thank you! Hugo Gherbavaz Senior Environmental Assessment AdvisorTransport Canadagherbah@tc.gc.ca(613)-993-6391

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