Public Release of the Federal Review Panel’s Report for the Eastmain-1-A and Rupert Diversion Project

OTTAWA, January 2, 2007 - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) today announced that the full report of the Federal Review Panel for the Eastmain-1-A and Rupert Diversion Project has been made public.

The five-member Federal Review Panel’s mandate was to conduct an assessment of the project’s environmental effects and submit a report to the federal Minister of the Environment and the responsible authorities pursuant to section 34 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, in this case, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Transport Canada. This report contains the conclusions and recommendations of the Panel.

The Eastmain-1-A and Rupert Diversion Project proposed by Hydro-Québec Production includes the partial diversion of the Rupert River, at kilometre point (KP) 314, and the creation of the Rupert diversion bays (forebay and tailbay) with a total area of 346 km². These two diversion bays will require the construction of four control structures, 72 dikes, 10 canals and a 2.9-km tunnel linking the two diversion bays. The water level of the Rupert forebay will be controlled by a weir located at the entrance to the transfer tunnel as well as by the Rupert River control structure.

The final report is available in both official languages on the Agency’s Web site.

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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 and others in your area, please consult the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry, reference number 35636, on the Agency’s Web site.

Media may contact:

Nicholas Girard
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: 613-957-0958
Fax: 613-967-0946
Nicholas.Girard@ceaa-acee.gc.ca