OTTAWA, December 5, 2005 – The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency announced today the availability of additional Participant Funding to assist groups and individuals to take part in the environmental assessment of the Eastmain-1-A and Rupert Diversion project located in northwestern Quebec, east of James Bay.
Phase III participant funding of up to $94,000 is now available to help the public prepare for and participate in the panel hearings on the environmental and social effects of this project. This amount is in addition to the $106,000 granted in the first two phases of the project. Applications received by the Agency no later than January 11, 2006 will be considered.
A funding review committee, independent of the joint review panel, will consider all applications and recommend to the President of the Agency the distribution of available funds to successful applicants according to the eligibility criteria set out in the Participant Funding Program Guide.
Information on the program, including the Participant Funding Program Guide, the application form and the contribution agreement, is available on the Agency's Web site.
The hydroelectric development includes the following components:
The Rupert diversion, which consists of redirecting some of the waters (up to 800 m3/s) from the Rupert River watershed into the Eastmain River watershed.
The construction of an additional powerhouse, the Eastmain-1-A (up to 770 MW) on the Eastmain 1 reservoir.
The construction of a powerhouse at the Sarcelle site, at the outlet of Opinaca reservoir.
The project calls for the construction of four dams, 75 dikes, two diversion bays flooding an area of 346 km2, 12,000 m of diversion channels or tunnel, and two permanent access roads.
For more information on the Participant Funding Program, please contact:
Peter Bedrossian
Participant Funding Program
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3
Tel.: (613) 957-0254 (call collect)
peter.bedrossian@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
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The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.
For more information on this project, please consult the Federal Environmental Assessment Index, reference number 35636, on the Agency's Web site.
For information on the federal review panel and the review process:
Eric Giroux
Panel Manager
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
1141, route de l'Église, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 9514
Sainte-Foy, QC G1V 4B8
Tel.: (418) 649-6442
Fax: (418) 649-6443
eric.giroux@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
Media may contact:
Elise Dhaussy
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3
Tel.: (613) 957-0406
elise.dhaussy@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
