The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency released its report on B.C. Hydro's proposed Site C dam Thursday afternoon.
A Joint Review Panel assessed the project and has made 50 recommendations to the provincial and federal governments, which are expected to make the final decision to approve or deny environmental approval for the project over the next six months.
In its summary of the 457-page report, the panel neither suggested approval or denial of the proposed 1,100 megawatt dam. If approved, the dam would be located on the Peace River seven kilometres southwest of Fort St. John and downstream from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and Peace Canyon Dam.
The proposed dam has clear benefits in the form of long-term, sustainable power, the panel concluded.
"The benefits are clear. Despite high initial costs, and some uncertainty about when the power would be needed, the project would provide a large and long-term increment of firm energy and capacity at a price that would benefit future generations," the panel wrote. "The project would improve the foundation for the integration of other renewable, low-carbon energy sources as the need arises. The project would also entail a number of local and regional economic benefits, though many of these would be transfers from other parts of the province or country."
The the project has a high capital cost, however, that means it may take some time for the public investment to be repaid, unlike smaller power projects that could be developed as needed over time.
"There are alternative sources of power available at similar or somewhat higher costs, notably geothermal power. These sources, being individually smaller than Site C, would allow supply to better follow demand, obviating most of the early-year [financial] losses of Site C," the panel wrote.
In addition, there are environmental impacts and impacts on traditional use of the land that can only be partially mitigated, the panel wrote.
"Replacing a portion of the Peace River with an 83-kilometre reservoir would cause significant adverse effects on fish and fish habitat, and a number of birds and bats, smaller vertebrate and invertebrate species, rare plants, and sensitive ecosystems," the panel wrote. "The project would significantly affect the current use of land and resources for traditional purposes by Aboriginal peoples, and the effect of that on Aboriginal rights and treaty rights generally will have to be weighed by governments."
However, the panel largely accepted B.C. Hydro's proposed mitigation measures for the project.
Some of the highlights of the panel's report include:
The panel agreed with B.C. Hydro that the dam would have a small impact on the hydrology of the river downstream.
The panel disagreed with B.C. Hydro on the dam's potential negative impact on wetlands and recommended the utility conduct updated research and develop a wetland compensation plan to mitigate the impacts on wetland species.
The panel found the dam would have "significant adverse effects" on the following species: Nelson's sparrow; yellow rail; eastern phoebe; Le Conte's sparrow; old world swallowtail, pikei
subspecies; Alberta arctic; striped hairstreak; great spangled fritillary, pseudocarpenteri subspecies; coral hairstreak, titus subspecies; common wood-nymph, nephele subspecies; Uhler's arctic; tawny crescent; arctic blue, lacustris subspecies; Aphrodite fritillary, manitoba subspecies; sharp-tailed grouse, jamesi subspecies; Baltimore oriole; western toad; broad-winged hawk, short-eared owl, eastern red bat, little brown myotis; northern myotis; and on fish habitat in general.
However, the panel found that larger mammal species like grizzley bears, moose, caribou, elk and deer would not be significantly effected.
While traditional uses of the area by aboriginal groups including the Saulteau First Nation would be affected, the dam wouldn't have a significant effect on hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation in the area. However, the panel said, some trappers and guide outfitters would be affected and should be compensated in the project proceeds.
The loss of agricultural land in the Peace River valley would be significant to the farmers whose land would be flooded, but not significant in the broader context of B.C.'s agricultural production.
The panel recommends B.C. Hydro monitor well and air quality during the construction phase of the project and set up water quality monitoring systems in partnership with local First Nations to monitor mercury levels in water and fish.
The panel recommends that B.C. Hydro should be required to establish shoreline erosion monitoring, and salvage heritage sites if exposed by erosion.
The provincial Crown utility first applied for a Joint Review Panel hearing for the project in September 2011. Public consultation began in 2012, with official hearings running from December 2013 and early this year.
The Joint Review Panel completed its report and presented it to the federal Ministry of Environment and B.C. Environmental Assessment Agency on May 1.
The report can be found online here: http://bit.ly/Rs14wP
