May 7, 2014
Province Releases Clean Environment Commission Report on Keeyask Hydro Generation Project
The Clean Environment Commission (CEC) report on the Keeyask Generation Project was released today by Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh. The report recommends the province issue a Class 3 Environment Act licence.
“I would like to thank the Clean Environment Commission for its thorough review of the proposal and all the people who took the time to make a submission at the public hearings,” said Minister Mackintosh. “This is an important project, both for the environment and for the economy, and we will carefully consider the commission’s recommendations.”
The minister noted the report’s recommendations will be considered as part of the licensing decision along with the Public Utilities Board’s Needs For and Alternatives To (NFAT) review and Crown-Aboriginal (Section 35) consultations, both of which are currently ongoing.
The Keeyask project proponent is the Keeyask Hydropower Limited Partnership. Partners are Manitoba Hydro, the Tataskweyak Cree Nation, the War Lake First Nation, the York Factory First Nation and the Fox Lake Cree Nation.
The CEC said the project should be approved for a licence under the Environment Act subject to recommendations for licence conditions related to mitigating impacts or monitoring effects. In addition, the report provides non-licensing recommendations aimed at improving environmental assessments and the processes and protocols governing environmental assessment in Manitoba. Also to be considered is the final report on the Public Utilities Board’s comprehensive NFAT assessment of Manitoba Hydro’s preferred development plan.
The report says the Keeyask project will emit in 100 years the same amount of greenhouse-gas emission as a natural gas-fired generation plant would release in 177 days of operation.
The Clean Environment Commission held public hearings in Winnipeg and in northern Manitoba including Gillam, Bird, York Landing, Thompson, Split Lake and Cross Lake. The report noted the consultation process on the project was comprehensive and inclusive. Expert testimony and comments were received from a number of interested participants including Keeyask Hydropower Limited Partnership, expert witnesses retained by participants and members of the public.
The full report can viewed at www.cecmanitoba.ca/.
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