THE BAPE WILL INFORM THE PUBLIC
Québec, March 12th
2008 – The Bureau d’audiences
publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) is holding
information sessions on the Projet de construction
d’une nouvelle ligne à 315kV : ligne
Chénier-Outaouais par Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie.These
sessions, in which the proponent will participate,
will be hosted by a representative of the BAPE and
will take place on April 1st, 2nd
and 3rd at the following locations:
Tuesday,
April 1st 2008,
at 7 :30 p.m. |
Mirabel (Secteur Saint-Augustin)
Centre culturel Jean-Laurin
8475, rue Saint-Jacques |
Wednesday,
April 2nd 2008,
at 7 :30 p.m. |
Montebello
Centre d’art de Montebello
550, rue Notre-Dame |
Thursday,
April 3rd 2008,
at 7 :30 p.m. |
Gatineau (Secteur Buckingham)
Salle de quilles Roule ta boule
210, rue Sauvé |
The purpose of the information sessions
is to allow citizens to obtain information on the
project, the environmental impact assessment study
and review procedure, the public consultation process,
as well as the role of the BAPE. This information
session is being held as part of the mandate entrusted
to the BAPE by Madam Line Beauchamp, Minister of Sustainable
Development Environment and Parks. The BAPE must make
available to the public the impact assessment study
and entire file related to the project. The public
information and consultation period begins today March
12th, 2008 and will end on April 26th,
2008.
It is during this 45-day period that
citizens, groups, municipalities or organizations
can submit a request for public hearing to the Minister
of Sustainable Development Environment and Parks.
If necessary, a commission of the BAPE could be mandated
to make inquiry on the project and to consult the
public on this subject.
WHERE CAN THE PROJECT DOCUMENTATION
BE CONSULTED?
Citizens can learn more about the
project by consulting the impact assessment study
prepared by the proponent and the other documents
describing the project and, among other things, its
repercussions on the environment. Starting today and
until April 26th, 2008, these documents
can be consulted at these following locations :
Mirabel
Bibliothèque centrale, secteur Saint-Janvier
17710, rue du Val-D’Espoir |
L’Ange-Gardien
Centre municipal de L’Ange-Gardien
870, chemin Donaldson |
Montebello
Hôtel de ville de Montebello
550, rue Notre-Dame |
Kanesatake
Conseil des Mohawks de Kanesatake
681, rue Sainte-Philomène |
Maniwaki
Conseil de bande Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg
1, Paganakomin Mikan |
|
The entire file is also available
at the BAPE office in Québec city, at the Central
Library of Université du Québec à
Montréal, as well as on the BAPE website at
www.bape.gouv.qc.ca, under the heading “Mandats
en cours”.
WHAT RIGHTS DO CITIZENS HAVE?
Any individual, group, organization or municipality
wishing a public discussion and evaluation of the
project may submit an application for a public hearing
during the public information and consultation period.
This request must be sent in writing no later than
April 26th, 2008 to Madam Line Beauchamp,
Minister of Sustainable Development Environment and
Parks, 675, boulevard René-Lévesque
Est, 30e étage, Québec (Québec)
G1R 5V7. The applicant must indicate the reasons for
his request and his interest in relation to the milieu
affected by the project.
WHAT IS THE BAPE?
The BAPE is a public information and consultation
organization that allows citizens to learn about and
express their opinion on a project and, in so doing,
take part in the process leading up to the government’s
decision. The BAPE carries out the mandates entrusted
to it by the Minister of Sustainable Development,
Environment and Parks, notably the public information
and consultation mandate lasting 45 days and the inquiry
and public hearing mandate lasting a maximum of 4
months.
Persons wishing to obtain more information
can get in touch with Madam Louise Bourdages at 418
643-7447 or toll-free, at 1 800 463-4732 extension
532, or by e-mail at the following address:
ligne-chenier-outaouais@bape.gouv.qc.ca.
Source : Louise Bourdages
Communication advisor
– 30 –
TECHNICAL SHEET
THE PROJECT
Hydro-Québec plans to build
a 315kV transmission line, between the Chénier
station, in Mirabel, and the Outaouais station currently
under construction in Ange-Gardien in order to reinforce
the Outaouais station to permit the exploitation of
the 1 250 MW of firm capacity of the interconnection
with Ontario under all network operating conditions.
This line would be built in accordance with strict
criteria from the standpoint of its resistance to
wind and ice accumulation. Having an approximate length
of 114 km, this line would cross through 15 municipalities
and would be located within Hydro-Québec’s
right-of-way, on the north side of the existing Chénier-Vignan
line. The new line would mainly cross over private
tenure lands on protected agricultural territory.
The establishment of this line would require the addition
of equipment inside the Chénier station and
the expansion of the Outaouais station. Hydro-Québec
estimates the global cost of the project to be $214
million. The proponent would like to start its work
in 2008 and put the line into service for the spring
of 2010.
Repercussions anticipated
by the proponent and mitigation measures proposed
in the impact study
During the construction period, the
work could result in a loss or a restriction of use
for the owners of the private lands affected, notably
for the exploitation of farmlands. In this respect,
Hydro-Québec would use space-saving towers
in zones having an agricultural vocation. In addition,
access to the right-of-way would be negotiated by
mutual agreement with the owners, and farm production
losses would be compensated according to the agreement
reached between Hydro-Québec and the UPA. As
for the natural environment, the project would result
in the clearing of an area of 237 ha of stands, which
would reduce, among other things, the nesting habitat
of some forty forest-dwelling bird species. To mitigate
these impacts, Hydro-Québec would make sure
that several wooded areas are maintained in the right-of-way,
notably close to watercourses. In addition, clearing
work would be done in winter, outside the birds’
nesting period.
During the operating period, the
establishment of the line would have impacts on the
quality of the landscape. However, these impacts would
be reduced by placing the new line, over its entire
length, next to existing lines, including the Chénier-Vignan
line, which offers a good insertion capacity for the
planned line. The impacts would mainly be felt in
open sectors, notably in farming zones. As for the
exposure to electrical and magnetic fields, Hydro-Québec
has concluded that the contribution of the new line
to the intensity of these fields in the vicinity of
the right-of-way would be minor.
Finally, according to the impact
assessment study, the project would make it possible
to improve the quality of life and regional economic
development, while further securing the energy supply
for customers of the Outaouais region. The construction
work would result in direct economic spin-offs at
the regional level, and the municipalities and regional
county municipalities affected by the project could
benefit from Hydro-Québec’s integrated
development project.
– 30 –
SOURCE : Mathieu St-Onge
Analyst
