Whapmagoostui Kuujjuaraapik Hybrid Power Plant Project Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Volume 1: Main Report Filed with the Cree Nation Government March 31st, 2021 KWREC WHAPMAGOOSTUI KUUJJUARAAPIK HYBRID POWER PLANT PROJECT Environmental and Social Impact Assessment: Volume 1 PESCA Environment March 31, 2021 KWREC Whapmagoostui Kuujjuaraapik Hybrid Power Plant Project Environmental and Social Impact Assessment: Volume 1 □ PRODUCTION TEAM KWREC President M. Matthew Mukash, B. A. Vice-President M. Anthony G Ittoshat Project Director M. Jean Schiettekatte, B. Eng. Renewable Energy Advisor M. Jimmy Royer, P. Eng. rtr't Consultation Advisor M. Sam W. Gull TCI Group Vice-President Renewable Energy Mme Anne Sabatié, P. Eng. and Special Projects PESCA Environment original version signed by Project Director Marjolaine Castonguay, biologist, M. Sc. original version signed by Project Manager Matthieu Féret, biologist, M. Sc. Research and Writing Josée-Anne Beauchesne, biologist François Allard, forest engineer Marie-Flore Castonguay, town planner Nathalie Leblanc, biologist, M. Sc. Mapping and Modeling Chantale Landry, geomatics technician Jean-Pierre Castonguay, geographer and geomatician Daniel Audet, IT technician Linguistic Revision (French version) Julie Côté, editor, B. A. Collaboration in baseline studies Étienne Leroux, engineer, Yves R. Hamel and associates inc. Translated by YAB Management from the original version in French. PESCA Environment i March 31, 2021 KWREC Whapmagoostui Kuujjuaraapik Hybrid Power Plant Project Environmental and Social Impact Assessment: Volume 1 □ TABLE OF CONTENT 1 CONTEXT ................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Project developer ...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1.1 Nimschu Iskudow Inc. ................................................................................ 1-1 1.1.2 Sakkuq Landholding Corporation of Kuujjuaraapik ................................... 1-2 1.2 Other partners ........................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.1 Ikayu Energy .............................................................................................. 1-2 1.2.2 TCI Group .................................................................................................. 1-3 1.3 Financial guarantees ................................................................................................. 1-3 1.4 Consultant responsible for the environmental and social impact assessment ......... 1-3 1.5 Energy transition and renewable energies ................................................................ 1-4 1.6 Rationale for the project ............................................................................................ 1-5 1.7 Brief description of the project ................................................................................... 1-7 1.8 Alternatives to the project .......................................................................................... 1-9 1.9 Development and related projects ............................................................................ 1-9 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Delimitation of the study area .................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Description of the components of the physical environment..................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Soils ........................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1.1 Nature of soils and surface deposits ..................................................... 2-1 2.2.1.2 Potentially contaminated areas ............................................................. 2-2 2.2.2 Hydrography .............................................................................................. 2-2 2.2.2.1 Surface water ........................................................................................ 2-2 2.2.2.2 Groundwater ......................................................................................... 2-3 2.2.2.3 Wetlands ............................................................................................... 2-3 2.3 Description of the components of the biological environment................................... 2-4 2.3.1 Plants and Vegetation ................................................................................ 2-4 2.3.1.1 Vegetation ............................................................................................. 2-4 2.3.1.2 Floristic species with special status ...................................................... 2-7 2.3.2 Wildlife species .......................................................................................... 2-7 2.3.2.1 Avian fauna ........................................................................................... 2-7 2.3.2.2 Bats ....................................................................................................... 2-9 2.3.2.3 Terrestrial mammals ........................................................................... 2-10 2.3.2.4 Fish ..................................................................................................... 2-15 2.3.2.5 Amphibians and reptiles ...................................................................... 2-16 2.3.2.6 Wildlife species with special status ..................................................... 2-18 2.3.2.7 Wildlife habitats ................................................................................... 2-18 2.4 Description of the components of the human environment ..................................... 2-18 2.4.1 Socioeconomic context ............................................................................ 2-19 2.4.1.1 Cree community of Whapmagoostui ................................................... 2-19 PESCA Environment iii March 31, 2021 KWREC Whapmagoostui Kuujjuaraapik Hybrid Power Plant Project Environmental and Social Impact Assessment: Volume 1 2.4.1.2 Inuit community of Kuujjuaraapik ........................................................ 2-21 2.4.2 Land use .................................................................................................. 2-22 2.4.2.1 Land tenure ......................................................................................... 2-22 2.4.2.2 Recreational activities ......................................................................... 2-22 2.4.2.3 Spiritual and cultural activities ............................................................. 2-23 2.4.2.4 Mineral ressource exploitation activities .............................................. 2-23 2.4.3 Public utility infrastuctures ....................................................................... 2-23 2.4.3.1 Air transport infrastuctures .................................................................. 2-23 2.4.3.2 Maritime transport infrastuctures ........................................................ 2-24 2.4.3.3 Power transmission lines .................................................................... 2-24 2.4.4 Telecommunication systems ................................................................... 2-24 2.4.4.1 Diffusion systems ................................................................................ 2-24 2.4.4.2 Navigational aid systems .................................................................... 2-24 2.4.4.3 Mobile systems ................................................................................... 2-24 2.4.4.4 Microwave links .................................................................................. 2-25 2.4.4.5 Radar systems .................................................................................... 2-25 2.4.4.6 Seismological systems ........................................................................ 2-25 2.4.5 Soundscape ............................................................................................. 2-25 2.4.5.1 Methodological approach .................................................................... 2-25 2.4.5.2 Ambient noise level ............................................................................. 2-26 2.4.6 Landscape ............................................................................................... 2-27 2.4.6.1 Landscape units .................................................................................. 2-28 2.4.6.2 Points of interest ................................................................................. 2-30 2.4.7 Archeological and cultural heritage .......................................................... 2-31 2.4.7.1 Archeological heritage ........................................................................ 2-31 2.4.7.2 Cultural heritage ................................................................................. 2-31 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Variants ..................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Site selection ............................................................................................................. 3-2 3.3 Configuration parameters .........................................................................................