E3 Lithium Initiates Permitting Process for the Clearwater Project Central Processing Facility with Submission of EPEA Application
CALGARY, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–E3 LITHIUM LTD. (TSXV: ETL) (FSE: OW3) (OTCQX: EEMMF), “E3”, “E3 Lithium” or the “Company,” a leader in Canadian lithium development, has submitted its Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (“EPEA”) application to the Alberta Energy Regulator (“AER”) and has initiated the formal AER Directive 056 (“D56”) notification and consultation program for its Clearwater Project Central Processing Facility (“CPF”).
The EPEA application represents a significant step forward in advancing E3 Lithium’s commercialization plans for lithium production in Alberta. EPEA is a provincially mandated submission common for facilities of this nature in Alberta. The EPEA application describes the Clearwater Project, its main process operations, and outlines the environmental management plans and mitigation strategies that will be deployed by E3 to ensure that its Clearwater lithium extraction and processing facility is operated safely and responsibly.
The first step in the D56 application process is the formal consultation and notification of stakeholders in the area surrounding the CPF prior to the formal permit application to the AER, which is separate from the EPEA application that has been submitted by E3. The consultation and notification process began in late November and E3 anticipates submitting the D56 facility application for the CPF in early 2026. An approved D56 license for the CPF will provide the required provincial government authority to construct and operate the CPF. When approved, the application ensures that the CPF meets Alberta’s safety, environmental, and land-use standards and that E3 Lithium has completed meaningful engagement with stakeholders.
In Alberta, brine hosted minerals are regulated through the AER, which determines the overall process and outlines, through Directives, the application-specific licenses required to build and operate. The CPF, which will host the lithium production equipment, requires both approval under D56 and EPEA, which are separate applications.
The production of the brine through wells and pipelines is also governed under D56, with specific sections for these types of application. Each well and pipeline will be subject to individual approvals after consultation with landowners, similar to the current consultation process for the CPF. The full production and reinjection of brine is then governed through a reservoir scheme application under AER Directive 065. E3 will be conducting consultation for the wells and pipelines through 2026 for the first phase of development. Additional permits for power facilities are also underway and the Project will need a municipal development permit issued by the county. Additional information on permit application process can be found on the AER website at www.aer.ca.
Chris Doornbos, President and CEO of E3 Lithium, said:
The Mineral Resource Development Act, passed in late 2021, provided a regulatory framework to the AER for lithium in brine, with E3 Lithium being the first company to receive a facility license under this framework for its Demonstration Facility
“The submission of the EPEA application and commencement of the consultation process for the D56 permit comes after 2 years of early engagement with the most proximal landowners. We appreciate the ongoing communication with local stakeholders whose feedback has been impactful as we have finalized the design of the facility. Starting the permitting marks an important milestone in the progression of our Clearwater Project toward commercial operations.”
The application for the facility would enable production of up to 32,000 tonnes per year of lithium carbonate (“LC”). E3 Lithium’s current development plans bring the Clearwater Project into production in phases, with Phase 1 production targeted to be approximately 12,000 tonnes of LC per year. Timeframes to receive approval for facility licenses of this nature in Alberta are typically six months. Given this is the first EPEA application for a lithium production facility, the Company is anticipating a longer timeframe.
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E3 Lithium Initiates Permitting Process for the Clearwater Project Central Processing Facility with Submission of EPEA Application, source
