August 11, 2020 Kaviq Kaluraq Chairperson c/o Karen Costello Nunavut Impact Review Board Cambridge Bay, NU Sent via Email:
[email protected] Re: North Baffin Community Group Reply to Baffinland Iron Mines (“Baffinland”) August 4, 2020 Motion Re Setting of Hearing Dates for Mary River Phase 2 Assessment Dear Ms. Kaluraq: In response to the Motion circulated by the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) or Board) with a request for replies, the North Baffin Community Group, made up of the Hamlets and Hunters and Trappers Organizations of the five communities potentially affected by the Mary River Phase 2 proposal, submit based on the grounds below, that the August 4, 2020 Notice of Motion filed by Baffinland, should be dismissed. Baffinland suggested in its motion that it is fair to all parties for the Board to reconvene the Public Hearing for the Phase 2 Proposal on October 30, 2020. We submit that it would be premature to schedule a Hearing until such time as a Technical Meeting and Pre-Hearing Conference are held to determine whether the proposal is sufficient to be heard at a hearing, and to determine issues such as the timing, location and format of a Hearing. It would also be inappropriate for the NIRB to determine next steps based on a mo- tion from Baffinland. It is not fair to all parties to reconvene the Public Hearing in October. Many organizations par- ticipating in the ongoing assessment of Phase 2, including our Hamlets and HTOs, have suf- fered significant limitations on our ability to engage in a normal workload while still remaining vigilant in addressing Covid-19 related safety measures.