ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT І LOWER CHURCHILL HYDROELECTRIC GENERATION PROJECT TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Regulatory Context ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Organization of the Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 4 2.0 THE PROPONENT ..................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Commitment to the Environment ................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Commitment to Consultation ........................................................................................................................ 8 2.3 Commitment to Labrador .............................................................................................................................. 9 3.0 THE PROJECT.......................................................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Rationale and Need for the Project ............................................................................................................. 11 3.1.1 Benefits of Hydroelectricity ............................................................................................................ 12 3.1.2 The Lower Churchill River Potential and Benefits to the Province ................................................ 13 3.2 Schedule and Workforce ............................................................................................................................. 13 3.3 Gull Island Facility Overview........................................................................................................................ 14 3.4 Muskrat Falls Facility Overview ................................................................................................................... 16 3.5 Reservoir Clearing........................................................................................................................................ 16 3.6 Transmission Line ........................................................................................................................................ 19 3.7 Operation .................................................................................................................................................... 19 3.8 Environmental Management ...................................................................................................................... 20 3.8.1 Compliance with Regulatory and Corporate Requirements .......................................................... 20 3.8.2 Designed-in Mitigation/Key Project Features ................................................................................ 21 3.8.3 VEC and Project-Specific Mitigation, Compensation and Enhancements ...................................... 23 3.8.4 Environmental Protection Planning ............................................................................................... 23 3.8.5 Safety, Health and Environmental Emergency Response Plans ..................................................... 23 4.0 CONSULTATION AND ISSUES SCOPING .................................................................................................... 25 4.1 Stakeholder Consultation ............................................................................................................................ 25 4.2 Aboriginal Consultation ............................................................................................................................... 25 4.2.1 Labrador Innu ................................................................................................................................. 26 4.2.2 Labrador Inuit ................................................................................................................................. 26 4.2.3 Labrador Métis ............................................................................................................................... 27 4.2.4 Quebec Innu ................................................................................................................................... 27 4.3 Issues Identification ..................................................................................................................................... 27 4.4 Selection of Valued Environmental Components and Key Indicators ......................................................... 28 5.0 THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY ....................................................... 31 5.1 Innu Traditional Knowledge ........................................................................................................................ 32 5.2 Local Knowledge .......................................................................................................................................... 33 5.3 Assessment Methods .................................................................................................................................. 33 6.0 REGIONAL SETTING ................................................................................................................................ 35 6.1 Ecological Setting ......................................................................................................................................... 35 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PAGE i ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT І LOWER CHURCHILL HYDROELECTRIC GENERATION PROJECT 6.1.1 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................................... 36 6.1.2 Fish and Fish Habitat ...................................................................................................................... 37 6.2 Socio-economic Context .............................................................................................................................. 37 6.2.1 Recent History ................................................................................................................................ 38 6.2.2 Communities .................................................................................................................................. 38 6.2.3 Land Use ......................................................................................................................................... 39 7.0 THE BIOPHYSICAL ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................................. 41 7.1 The Biophysical Environment and Effects ................................................................................................... 41 7.2 Effects Management ................................................................................................................................... 42 7.3 Residual Environmental Effects ................................................................................................................... 45 7.3.1 Atmospheric Environment ............................................................................................................. 45 7.3.2 Aquatic Environment ...................................................................................................................... 45 7.3.3 Terrestrial Environment ................................................................................................................. 46 7.3.4 Accidents and Malfunctions ........................................................................................................... 46 7.4 Biophysical Cumulative Environmental Effects ........................................................................................... 46 7.5 Monitoring and Follow-up ........................................................................................................................... 47 8.0 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT ...................................................................................................... 49 8.1 The Socio-economic Environment and Effects ............................................................................................ 49 8.2 Effects Management ................................................................................................................................... 50 8.3 Residual Environmental Effects ................................................................................................................... 52 8.3.1 Economy, Employment and Business ............................................................................................. 52 8.3.2 Communities .................................................................................................................................. 52 8.3.3 Land and Resource Use .................................................................................................................. 53 8.3.4 Cultural Heritage Resources ........................................................................................................... 53 8.3.5 Accidents and Malfunctions ..........................................................................................................