Ottawa / Québec – August 2nd, 2005 – The review bodies, mandated to assess the potential environmental impacts of the Eastmain-1-A and Rupert Diversion Project, have determined that additional information is required to enable them to proceed to the next phase of public hearings.
Hydro-Québec and its subsidiary, the Société d'énergie de la Baie James, the proponents of the project, received requests for additional information [PDF - 736 kb] from the Federal Review Panel and from the Provincial Administrator, following the recommendation of the Review Committee (COMEX).
The review bodies concluded that the Impact Statement prepared by the proponents require more information. The justification for the project, its impact on the aquatic environment and the social and economic considerations are some of the aspects that will require additional support. Once they have reviewed this additional information, the review bodies will decide if the impact statement is sufficiently consistent with the guidelines to allow them to hold hearings. If it is, the review bodies will share the dates and locations of the hearings.
The public had 90 days to submit its observations about the conformity of the Impact Statement of the project. This public comment period ended on April 30. With respect to the conformity of the impact statement stage, the review bodies held a public technical information meeting with the proponents on April 20 and 21 in Montréal. At that meeting, the review bodies were provided with clarifications on the Impact Statement. At the proponents' request, two other technical information meetings were held in Montréal on June 8 and July 12. The transcripts of the discussions between the participants are included in the project registry.
The Eastmain-1-A and Rupert diversion project is located in the James Bay region, north of the 45th parallel and includes the following components:
The Rupert diversion, which consists in redirecting some of the waters (up to 800m3/s) from the Rupert River watershed into the Eastmain River watershed.
The construction of an additional powerhouse, the Eastmain-1-A, with an installed capacity of up to 770 MW on the Eastmain 1 reservoir.
The addition of structures at the Sarcelle site, at the outlet of Opinaca reservoir.
The project calls for the construction of 4 dams, 51 dikes, 2 diversion bays flooding an area of 395 km2, 12,000 m of diversion channels or tunnel, and 2 permanent access roads.
Additional information on the project is available on the Hydro-Québec Web site at: www.hydroquebec.com/eastmain1a/fr/.
The review bodies are meeting their commitment to keep the public informed so that members of the public can effectively contribute to the assessment of the project.
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For information concerning the review:
For the Federal Review Panel:
Eric Giroux
Panel Manager
1141, route de l'Église, 2nd floor
Box 9514
Sainte-Foy, QC G1V 4B8
Tel.: (418) 649-6442
Fax: (418) 649-6443
giroux@emla-examen.ca
For COMEX:
Michael O'Neill
COMEX Secretary
675, boul. René-Lévesque Est
Édifice Marie-Guyart, 6th floor
Box 83
Québec (QC) G1R 5V7
Tel.: (418) 521-3933, extension 7255
Fax: (418) 646-0266
michael.oneill@menv.gouv.qc.ca
Media information:
For the Federal Review Panel:
Robert Deslauriers
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: (613) 957-0396
deslauriers@em1a-examen.ca
For COMEX:
Louise Hamel
Communications Advisor
Tel.: (418) 521-3823, extension 8025
louise.hamel@menv.gouv.qc.ca
