OTTAWA/QUÉBEC, October 17, 2005 – The review bodies, the Federal Review Panel established under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and the Review Committee (COMEX) established in application of Section 22 of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA) and the Quebec Environmental Quality Act, have completed a series of five technical meetings with the project's proponents, Hydro Quebec and its subsidiary, the Société d'énergie de la Baie James.
The proponents indicated to the review bodies that the preliminary answers to the requests for additional information [PDF], jointly transmitted on August 2, 2005, by the Federal Review Panel and the Provincial Administrator of Section 22 of the JBNQA, will be submitted by thematic sections. The answers of the proponents will be made public by the review bodies. The review bodies had previously transmitted to the proponents an advance notice for field work [PDF] on May 5, 2005 and a preliminary version of the requests for additional information (in French) [PDF] on June 23, 2005.
Once they have reviewed this additional information, the review bodies will decide if the impact statement is consistent with the directives transmitted by the federal Minister of the Environment and the Provincial Administrator, prior to holding public hearings. If the information is deemed to be consistent, the review bodies will announce the dates and locations of the hearings.
The review bodies work in coordination and act jointly under the Agreement concerning the environmental assessments for this project ratified in April 2003 between the governments of Canada and Quebec and the Cree Regional Authority (CRA). Two persons mandated by the CRA are members of both the Federal Review Panel and the COMEX.
Additional information on the project is available on the Internet sites of the Canadian Environmental Agency, the COMEX (www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca) and the Public Information Office (www.bip-pio.qc.ca).
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 process:
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
eric.giroux@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
For COMEX:
Michael O'Neill
COMEX Secretary
675 René-Lévesque Boul. East
Marie-Guyart Building, 6th floor
Box 83
Québec QC G1R 5V7
Tel.: (418) 521-3933, extension 7255
Fax: (418) 646-0266
michael.oneill@mddep.gouv.qc.ca
Media information:
Public Information Office
Robert Bellizzi
Communication Officer
277 Duke street (office 103)
Montreal, QC H3C 2M2
Tel.: (514) 871-8378
Tel.: free toll line: (877) 880-8378
Fax: (514) 871-0859
info@bip-pio.qc.ca
