NNSL (DEC 16/96) - A new resource management act may soon be in place to regulate development in the Western NWT.

The federal Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act creates new management boards to handle environmental assessments, land and water regulation.

The act is designed to create: a land use planning board for the Gwich'in and Sahtu settlement areas; a Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board; and an environmental impact assessment and review board.

Four years in the making, the new act is geared to make it easier and more efficient for industry to apply for land use and water licences, said Will Dunlop, director of resource policy with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

"Instead of going to our department for land permits and the water board for water licences you go to one place," he said. "It's a replacement layer."

"We basically step back and the co-management bodies step up."

Essentially, the regional water boards will replace the NWT Water Board and the land use board will do the work of the department of Northern Affairs.

Also in the bill, 50 per cent of board members are to be nominated by aboriginal organizations with the other 50 per cent nominated by the territorial and federal governments.

In the act, the Mackenzie Valley accounts for the entire Western Arctic, except for the Inuvialuit settlement area.

If passed, the legislation will not diminish aboriginal or treaty rights, Dunlop said. Metis and members of Treaty 8, Treaty 11 and Deh Cho First Nations still have to settle land claims with Ottawa.

"The minister is willing to review this legislation with other aboriginal groups," he said.

Mining representatives could not be reached by News/North deadlines.

The act was introduced into the House of Commons last Thursday.