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November 17, 2009
November Public Meetings on Proposed Smelter Project Rescheduled for January
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November 17, 2009 -- To ensure the public has the best possible access to information regarding the proposed hydropower and aluminium smelter project, public meetings originally scheduled for November in Nuuk, Maniitsoq, Sisimiut, and Kangerlussuaq have been rescheduled for January. The meeting dates will be announced once they are finalized.
The rescheduling is necessary to ensure key participants and speakers, particularly elected officials, would be available to attend the meeting. The November dates conflicted with Parliament being in session, as well as a number of other important activities scheduled in some of the communities.
Greenland Development (GD) and Alcoa apologize for any inconvenience and wish to reassure the public that the full complement of meeting participants are scheduling time to participate in January. Alcoa and GD have their teams ready to participate.
The primary objective of the public meetings is to inform and enhance public discussion about the project studies that were carried out in 2009. The studies include geological and engineering studies of the proposed facilities; the project’s potential impact on the environment; investigation of cultural remains in the areas proposed for development; and potential social impacts.
Rescheduling the meetings in January will make it possible to include discussion on additional ongoing or recently completed studies. These include socio-economic impact and mobility studies; a final report on the culture historical significance of Tasersiaq and Tarsartuup Tasersua; and the final baseline studies that determine the existing status of animal and plant life in the areas studied.
The rescheduling will not have any effect on the currently proposed timeline for completion of the environmental impact assessment (EIA), nor on the overall timeline for determining the feasibility of the project.
Prior to the January meetings, GD and Alcoa will publish in the local media some materials that have been prepared for the meetings to help stimulate questions and discussion points when the meetings occur.
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