Bipole Iii Transmission Project June 2013
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REPORT ON PUBLIC HEARING BIPOLE III TRANSMISSION PROJECT JUNE 2013 a Manitoba Clean Environment Commission 305-155 Carlton Street Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3H8 Fax: 204-945-0090 Telephone: 204-945-0594 www.cecmanitoba.ca 305 – 155 Carlton Street June 18, 2013 Winnipeg, MB R3C 3H8 Ph: 204-945-7091 Toll Free: 1-800-597-3556 Fax: 204-945-0090 Honourable Gord Mackintosh www.cecmanitoba.ca Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship Room 330 Legislative Building 450 Broadway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0V8 Re: Bipole III Transmission Project Dear Minister Mackintosh: The Panel is pleased to submit the Clean Environment Commission’s report on the public hearing with respect to the Bipole III Transmission Project. Sincerely, Terry Sargeant, Chairperson Ken Gibbons Brian Kaplan Patricia MacKay Wayne Motheral Table of Contents Foreword ...................................................................................................VII Executive Summary ....................................................................................IX Chapter One: Introduction ......................................................................... 1 1.1 The Manitoba Clean Environment Commission ...............................................................................1 1.2 The Project ..............................................................................................................................................1 1.3 The Proponent ........................................................................................................................................1 1.4 Terms of Reference.................................................................................................................................1 1.5 The Hearings ...........................................................................................................................................2 1.6 The Report...............................................................................................................................................2 1.6.1 Report’s Scope .........................................................................................................................................3 Chapter Two: The Licensing Process .......................................................... 5 2.1 Needed Licences and Approvals ..........................................................................................................5 2.2 Manitoba Review Process for an Environment Act Licence .............................................................5 2.3 Federal Regulatory Review and Decision Making .............................................................................6 2.4 Manitoba and Section 35 of Canada’s Constitution .........................................................................6 2.5 Role of the Clean Environment Commission ....................................................................................6 2.6 The Licensing Decision .........................................................................................................................6 Chapter Three: The Public Hearing Process ............................................... 7 3.1 Clean Environment Commission ........................................................................................................7 3.2 Public Participation ...............................................................................................................................7 3.2.1 Participants .............................................................................................................................................7 3.2.2 Participant Assistance Program ...........................................................................................................7 3.2.3 Presenters ................................................................................................................................................7 3.3 The Pre-Hearing .....................................................................................................................................7 3.4 The Hearings ...........................................................................................................................................8 Chapter Four: Manitoba Electrical Generation and Transmission System ................................................................................... 9 4.1 System Overview ....................................................................................................................................9 4.2 Lake Winnipeg Regulation and the Churchill River Diversion .....................................................10 Chapter Five: The Bipole III Project .......................................................... 13 5.1 Bipole III Components ........................................................................................................................13 5.1.1 HVDC Transmission Line ..................................................................................................................13 I 5.1.2 Keewatinoow Converter Station ........................................................................................................14 5.1.3 AC Transmission Connection to Keewatinoow ...............................................................................14 5.1.4 Riel Converter Station .........................................................................................................................14 5.1.5 Two Ground Electrodes ......................................................................................................................14 5.2 Bipole III Project Scope .......................................................................................................................15 Chapter Six: Consultation ......................................................................... 17 6.1 Requirements and Guidelines for Consultation ..............................................................................17 6.2 Community Consultation ...................................................................................................................17 6.2.1 Southern Manitoba ..............................................................................................................................18 6.2.2 Aboriginal/Northern Manitoba .........................................................................................................18 6.2.3 Consultation Methods .........................................................................................................................18 6.2.4 Major Issues Raised..............................................................................................................................19 What We Heard: Community Consultation.................................................................................................20 6.3 Aboriginal Engagement and Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge ..................................................20 6.3.1 ATK-Gathering Process ......................................................................................................................21 6.3.2 Concerns Identified Through ATK ....................................................................................................22 6.3.3 Important Area Identified Through ATK .........................................................................................22 What We Heard: Aboriginal Engagement and ATK ...................................................................................23 Commission Comment: Aboriginal Engagement and ATK ......................................................................25 Chapter Seven: Development, Selection and Assessment Processes ..... 29 7.1 Overview ...............................................................................................................................................29 7.2 Development of the Environmental Impact Statement ..................................................................29 7.3 Route Selection .....................................................................................................................................29 What We Heard: Route Selection ..................................................................................................................33 Commission Comment: Route Selection .....................................................................................................35 7.4 Data Gathering .....................................................................................................................................36 What We Heard: Data Gathering ...................................................................................................................37 Commission Comment: Data Gathering ......................................................................................................37 7.5 Assessment Approach ..........................................................................................................................37 What We Heard: Assessment Approach .......................................................................................................39 Commission Comment: Assessment Approach ..........................................................................................39 Chapter Eight: Effects Assessment (Biophysical) ..................................... 41 8.1 Overview ...............................................................................................................................................41