Letter from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to the Quebec Port Authority re: Environmental Impact Statement

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Document reference number: 51

Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale
901-1550, ave d'Estimauville
Québec, QC G1J 0C1

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
901-1550 d'Estimauville Avenue
Québec (Québec) G1J 0C1

Quebec City, November 4, 2016

BY EMAIL

Mr. Mario Girard
Chief Executive Officer
Quebec Port Authority
150, Dalhousie Street
PO Box 80, Postal Station Haute-Ville
Quebec City, Quebec G1R 4M8

Dear Sir:

PURPOSE: Environmental impact statement for the Port of Quebec Deep-Water Multipurpose Wharf Project – Beauport 2020

On October 4, 2016, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) received a new environmental impact statement (impact statement) for the Port of Quebec Deep-Water Multipurpose Wharf Project – Beauport 2020 (project) prepared by the Quebec Port Authority.

The Agency compared the impact statement, the project impact statement guidelines (guidelines) and the letter sent by the Agency on April 12, 2016. This exercise, performed in cooperation with the environmental assessment technical committee revealed that the impact statement is incomplete, does not satisfy some of the requirements in the guidelines and fails to fill the gaps noted in the letter of April 12. Below is a list of the sections from the Agency's guidelines for which further information is required before the impact statement analysis can begin. We recommend that you refer to the relevant sections of the guidelines and the letter dated April 12 for details on the required information.

The information and clarifications requested in the following pages, as well as the missing documents listed in this letter, are required to move on to the next stage, the technical analysis of the project impact statement.

The examples provided in this letter are not exhaustive and are provided for guidance purposes only. Any relevant information which would complete elements listed in this request must be supplied.

Missing documents

The following documents referred to in the impact statement must be provided:

• ENGLOBE and ENVIRO-SCIENCE ET FAUNE. 2016a. Terminal multifonctionnel en eau profonde Beauport 2020 – Suivi télémétrique de l'esturgeon jaune, du bar rayé et de l'anguille d'Amérique, Travaux 2016 [Deep-Water Multipurpose Wharf Project – Beauport 2020. 23 p.
• ENGLOBE and ENVIRO-SCIENCE ET FAUNE. 2016b. Terminal multifonctionnel en eau profonde Beauport 2020 – Suivi de la fraie du bar rayé et de l'alose savoureuse, Travaux. 9 p.
• ENGLOBE and ENVIRO-SCIENCE ET FAUNE. 2016c. Terminal multifonctionnel en eau profonde Beauport 2020 – Présence d'espèces de moules à statut précaire, Travaux 2016. 9 p.
• ENGLOBE and ENVIRO-SCIENCE ET FAUNE. 2016d. Terminal multifonctionnel en eau profonde Beauport 2020– Caractérisation de l'habitat du poisson à l'Anse au Foulon et à Pointe De La Martinière, Travaux 2016. 11 p.

References

• Several gaps were noted in Chapter 16 of the impact statement, which lists and explains all the references cited in the impact statement. This chapter should be fully updated in order to include all the references cited in the body of the impact statement.
• Chapter 16 provides a list of references for each chapter of the impact statement. The list should include all references cited in each chapter, even if they are referred to more than once in the impact statement.

Missing information in connection with Part 2 of the guidelines – content of the environmental impact statement

Section 2.2 Alternative means of carrying out the project

• All project components mentioned in the guidelines must be considered in the alternative means analysis. Review the criteria set out in section 2.2 of the guidelines and provide an alternative means analysis for
  • dredging methods;
  • management of dredged sediment (preference must be given to beneficial use of dredged sediment); and
  • possible sediment disposal site locations.

The analysis must make it possible to assess the environmental effects of each alternative.

Section 3 Project description

• Provide the surface areas of all temporary and permanent infrastructure and structures planned for the area affected by the project and a description of all infrastructure and their location (such as a temporary wharf);
• Describe the preferred method for replacing the cement matrix should it be impossible to use the contaminated sediments;
• Illustrate each site alternative using maps and including UTM coordinates and bathymetric data.

Section 6.1.3 Soils, riparian and terrestrial environments, and Section 6.6.1 Effects of the environment on the project

• Provide references, studies and data supporting the statement that [translation] "no mass wasting or land subsidence has been observed in the entire Beauport sector (recreational and port sectors) over the years" (Volume 2, chapter 7, page 7-121).

Section 6.3.1 Fish and fish habitat

• Provide the results of the review of how project construction timing correlates to key fisheries windows for freshwater and anadromous species or explain why the results of this review are not provided;
• Describe any potential impacts resulting from overlapping between project construction timing and key fisheries windows for freshwater and anadromous species.

6.6. 2 Effects of potential accidents or malfunctions

• Identify the consequences of possible accidents or malfunctions in plausible worst case scenarios and explain how these events were identified;
• Assess the environmental effects of these consequences and describe the changes that may be caused to the components set out in section 5 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012;
• Describe the safeguards and the contingency and emergency response procedures to be established to reduce adverse environmental effects.

Section 6.6.3 Cumulative effects assessment

• Provide an estimate of the surface areas and volumes dredged since the 1960s in the sector included between the mouth of the Saint-Charles River and the Bay of Beauport.

Upon receipt of the requested information, the Agency will review the information received in order to determine whether the impact statement is in line with the guidelines. After this period, the Agency will notify you whether any additional information is required or whether the technical analysis of the impact statement can begin.

During the next phase, during which the technical analysis of the impact statement will be performed, and after the public and Aboriginal engagement period, you may again be asked to review or complete some of the information presented in the impact statement in response to a request for information sent to you by the Agency.

Please email the information requested in this letter to celine.lachapelle@ceaa-acee.gc.ca. If you require clarifications regarding this request for information, feel free to contact me by telephone at 418-648-7845 or by email at the above-mentioned address.

Yours sincerely,

<Original signed by>

Céline Lachapelle
Project Manager, Quebec

c.c.:
Benoit Lacasse, Natural Resources Canada
Stéfanie Larouche-Boutin, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Louis Breton, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Brigitte Cusson, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Martin Petit, Transport Canada
Étienne Frenette, Health Canada
Martin Blouin, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Gontrand Pouliot, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Sophie Bérubé, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Patricia Hébert, Laurentian Pilotage Authority
Simon Tétreault, Infrastructure Canada
Julie-Anne Marcoux, Infrastructure Canada
Pierre Michon, Quebec Department of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change
Michèle Tremblay, Quebec Department of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change