October 4, 2004
CEC Report Concludes Wuskwatim Justified, Viable And Economic
CEC Report Concludes Wuskwatim Justified, Viable And EconomicConservation Minister Stan Struthers today released the Clean Environment Commission's (CEC) final report on the 200 megawatt Wuskwatim Dam, Manitoba's first 'New Generation' hydro project.
"I would like to thank the CEC and all of the participants for their hard work in putting this report together," said Struthers.
The report found that Manitoba Hydro and the Nisichawaysihk Cree Nation have adequately justified the projects and concluded they are viable and economic.
The CEC concluded that adequate evidence was presented to allow it to determine that, if an appropriate mitigation and monitoring regime is put in place and the projects are constructed and operated as proposed, the adverse effects on the biophysical, socio-economic and cultural environment will not be significant.
The CEC report also stated that, if managed in an appropriate manner, the benefits for Aboriginal people, northerners and all Manitobans could be significant.
The report recommends that an environmental licence for the project be granted subject to inclusion of a number of hydrological requirements and environmental protection plan requirements.
The report said the commission recognizes that the New Generation project's proposed low-head design, small area of flooding, modified run-of-the-river operation, routing for transmission, use of traditional scientific knowledge (TSK) and western scientific knowledge (WSK), and the partnership arrangement all serve to reduce the overall environmental effect of the projects.
Struthers concluded that he was pleased the report confirms Manitoba Hydro's commitment to diversifying its energy supply to double efficiency initiatives and its commitment to wind power.
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