Site C Clean Energy Project - Public Comment Period on Environmental Impact Statement and Open House Sessions

OTTAWA, Jan. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) and the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (the EAO) announced today that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted by the proponent, BC Hydro, for the proposed Site C Clean Energy Project is now available to the public. A public comment period will commence shortly and public Open House Sessions will be held in the project area in February 2013.

Public Comment Period
The Agency and the EAO will hold a 60-day public comment period on the EIS starting February 3, 2013. The EIS provides an analysis of the potential environmental, economic, social, health and heritage effects of the proposed project and measures to mitigate those impacts. This comment period gives members of the public, Aboriginal groups, and governments an opportunity to submit their views in writing to the Agency and the EAO on the adequacy of the information presented in the EIS as measured against the EIS Guidelines and on the technical merit of the information presented.  The Guidelines, issued in September 2012, provide direction to the proponent and identify the information that is required in the EIS.

Written comments will be accepted as of February 3, 2013 and must be received by April 4, 2013.  All comments received will be posted on the Agency's online public registry and on the EAO website.  Forward written comments in the official language of your choice to either of the following:

In determining if the EIS is satisfactory, the Agency and the EAO will consider the comments received from participants and the responses to those comments from BC Hydro.  Once the EIS is deemed satisfactory, a three-member Joint Review Panel will be appointed by the Ministers of the Environment for British Columbia and Canada.

To view the EIS, or to obtain more information on this review, consult the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca , reference number 63919, or go to the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office web site at www.eao.gov.bc.ca . Prior to the public comment period, a bilingual Executive Summary of the EIS will be available on the public registry.

Public Open House Sessions
The Agency and the EAO will be holding open house sessions near the project area. Representatives of both agencies will be available to answer questions on the environmental assessment process and how the public can participate.  The proponent, BC Hydro, will also attend the sessions to answer technical questions about the EIS. The public will have an opportunity to submit written comments on the EIS at the sessions.   The open house sessions will be held in the following communities:

Date /Time	Location	Date /Time	Location
Tuesday February 19, 2013 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.	North Peace Cultural Centre 10015 - 100th Ave. Fort St. John, BC	Tuesday February 26, 2013 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.	Sawridge Inn & Conference Centre 9510-100th Street Peace River, AB
Wednesday February 20,  2013 4p.m. to 8 p.m.	Hudson's Hope Community Hall 10310 - 100th Street Hudson's Hope, BC	Wednesday February 27,  2013 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.	Best Western Dawson Creek 500 Highway #2 Dawson Creek, BC
Thursday February 21,  2013 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.	Pomeroy Inn & Suites 5200 North Access Road Chetwynd, BC	Thursday February 28,  2013 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.	Prince George Ramada 444 George Street Prince George, BC

Background
BC Hydro and Power Authority proposes to construct and operate a dam and 1,100-megawatt hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River in northeastern B.C.  The proposed project would be the third in a series of dams on the B.C. portion of the Peace River. The project components are an earthfill dam 1,050 metres long and 60 metres high, an 1,100-megawatt generating station and associated structures, an 83-km long reservoir, realignment of four sections of Highway 29 and two 77-km transmission lines along an existing transmission line right-of-way connecting Site C to the existing provincial power grid.

SOURCE: Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

Media may contact:

Lucille Jamault
Canadian Environmental
Assessment Agency
Tel.: [phone]

British Columbia
Ministry of Environment Communications
Tel.: [phone]