Ottawa/Québec, December 12, 2006 - At the request of the federal Minister of the Environment, the Honourable Rona Ambrose and of the ministre du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs, M. Claude Béchard, the report produced as a result of the investigation and of the public hearings on the TransCanada Pipelines Limited and Petro-Canada Cacouna Energy Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal Project has been made public. This mandated investigation and public hearing took place from May 8 to November 1, 2006. The BAPE Panel was chaired by Mr. Michel Germain, assisted by Mr. John Haemmerli. Mr. Jean-Thomas Bernard joined the panel to form the Joint Review Panel. Both panels carried out their work simultaneously and produced a joint report. This report contains the 36 notices and 39 recommendations made by the Panel. The panel collected participants’ concerns and opinions during the hearing and considered the following:
The liquefied natural gas system;
The selection of the proposed site;
The integration of the project in natural and human environments;
The impacts upon the natural environment;
The impacts on the human environment;
Technological risks;
Proposed environmental monitoring and follow-up of the project.
THE FEDERAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
Following a rigorous review of the Panel’s report, Transport Canada (TC) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will prepare a response for Cabinet’s consideration. TC and DFO may issue their authorizations following Cabinet approval of the Government response.
QUEBEC’S DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
In light of the Panels’ joint report and the environmental review prepared by his department, Quebec’s Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks will make his recommendations to Quebec’s Cabinet, which is responsible for the final decision concerning the project. This decision could be to authorize the project, with or without changes and under conditions which he determines, or to refuse it.
Since the project is subject to a cooperative environmental assessment, pursuant to the Canada-Quebec Agreement on Environmental Assessment Cooperation, there may be coordinated decisions and announcements by Canada and Quebec.
THE CANADA-QUEBEC AGREEMENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT COOPERATION
The Canada-Quebec Agreement on Environmental Assessment Cooperation fosters cooperation and coordination between the parties concerning the environmental assessment of projects subject to an environmental assessment by Canada and Quebec in order to meet the requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and of the Quebec Environment Quality Act. For participants in this session of public hearings, the means of participation were identical to a public hearing held solely by the BAPE, since the proceedings conformed to the BAPE’s Rules of Procedure relating to the conduct of public hearings.
VIEWING THE REPORT
The report is available for consultation at BAPE documentation centers, consultation centers in the area under study and on the BAPE Web site at www.bape.gouv.qc.ca. The report is also available directly by e-mail at communication@bape.gouv.qc.ca, or by telephone at (418) 643-7447 or toll free at 1 800 463-4732. The report is also available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry, reference number 04-07-7440.
During the first part of the public hearing, the panel held seven public meetings at Rivière-du-Loup. In the second part, in Cacouna, seven public meetings made it possible for the panel to receive 91 submissions and 2 oral interventions from individuals, groups, organizations and municipalities interested in the project.
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Sources:
Jean-Sébastien Fillion
Communications Officer
Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement
Tel.: 418-643-7447 or 1-800-463-4732, extension 538
jean-sebastien.fillion@bape.gouv.qc.ca
For information about the federal process:
Nicholas Girard
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: 613-957-0396
nicholas.girard@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
