Labrador-Island Transmission Link Environmental Impact Statement Executive Summary NALCOR ENERGY LABRADOR‐ISLAND TRANSMISSION LINK ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Executive Summary April 2012 This report has been printed on recycled Forest Stewardship Council‐certified paper. Labrador‐Island Transmission Link Environmental Impact Statement Executive Summary TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project Overview ...................................................................................................................................... 1 5 1.2 Regulatory Context ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Previous and Other Environmental Assessments ..................................................................................... 3 1.4 Organization of the Executive Summary .................................................................................................. 3 2 PROJECT RATIONALE AND PLANNING .............................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Alternatives to the Project ....................................................................................................................... 4 10 2.1.1 Economic Analysis of Project Alternatives .................................................................................... 4 2.2 Financial and Environmental Benefits of the Project ............................................................................... 5 2.3 Project Planning and Risk Management ................................................................................................... 5 2.4 Alternative Means of Carrying out the Project ........................................................................................ 5 2.5 Eventual Transmission Line Routing and Detailed Project Design ........................................................... 6 15 2.6 Project Management Systems and Policies .............................................................................................. 6 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Project Components ................................................................................................................................. 7 3.2 Construction ........................................................................................................................................... 13 3.2.1 Construction Infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 13 20 3.2.2 Construction Activities and Sequence ........................................................................................ 14 3.3 Operations and Maintenance ................................................................................................................. 16 3.4 Decommissioning ................................................................................................................................... 17 3.5 Environmental Protection Planning........................................................................................................ 17 3.6 Project Workforce .................................................................................................................................. 17 25 3.7 Project Cost and Expenditure ................................................................................................................. 18 4 EFFECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE PROJECT ........................................................................................ 19 5 ACCIDENTS AND MALFUNCTIONS .................................................................................................................. 21 6 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND CONTEXT .................................................................................................... 23 6.1 The Natural Environment ....................................................................................................................... 23 30 6.2 The Human Environment ........................................................................................................................ 24 6.3 Previous and Ongoing Human Activities ................................................................................................ 25 6.4 Environmental Studies ............................................................................................................................ 26 6.5 Likely Future Environmental Conditions without the Project ................................................................ 27 7 ABORIGINAL CONSULTATION AND ISSUE SCOPING ....................................................................................... 28 35 8 REGULATORY AND PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND ISSUES SCOPING ............................................................... 30 9 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPROACH AND METHODS ........................................................................ 32 10 EXISTING BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................... 34 10.1 Atmospheric Environment ...................................................................................................................... 34 10.2 Terrestrial Environment ......................................................................................................................... 34 April 2012 Page i Labrador‐Island Transmission Link Environmental Impact Statement Executive Summary 10.2.1 Geology ....................................................................................................................................... 34 10.2.2 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................... 35 10.2.3 Caribou ........................................................................................................................................ 35 10.2.4 Moose and Black Bear ................................................................................................................. 35 5 10.2.5 Furbearers and Small Mammals ................................................................................................. 36 10.2.6 Avifauna ...................................................................................................................................... 36 10.3 Freshwater Environment ........................................................................................................................ 38 10.4 Marine Environment............................................................................................................................... 39 10.4.1 Geology, Bathymetry and Seabed Hazards ................................................................................. 39 10 10.4.2 Currents and Tides ...................................................................................................................... 39 10.4.3 Wind and Waves ......................................................................................................................... 39 10.4.4 Sea Ice and Icebergs .................................................................................................................... 40 10.4.5 Maine Ambient Noise ................................................................................................................. 40 10.4.6 Marine Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 40 15 10.4.7 Marine Fish and Fish Habitat ...................................................................................................... 40 10.4.8 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles .............................................................................................. 42 10.4.9 Seabirds ....................................................................................................................................... 44 11 ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ASSESSMENT ................................................... 45 11.1 Value Ecosystem Components ............................................................................................................... 45 20 11.2 Study Areas ............................................................................................................................................. 45 11.3 Effects Management .............................................................................................................................. 45 11.4 Likely Residual Project Effects and Significance ..................................................................................... 46 11.5 Analysis of Alternatives .......................................................................................................................... 46 11.6 Cumulative Environmental Effects and Significance .............................................................................. 46 25 11.7 Monitoring and Follow Up: Atmospheric Environment ......................................................................... 47 11.8 Accidents and Malfunctions 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