Report - Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale

Impacts on the natural environment
except for the H-I stretch, where the alternative chosen by the proponent passes
through the centre of the Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon peat bog. Whereas for most of the
analysis criteria, the HNorth-I alternative of that stretch displays the highest tally and
seems to be the preferred alternative, this alternative crosses a large forest property
belonging to the Stadacona Corporation. Its representatives have informed the
proponent that they anticipated operational inconveniences associated with the
presence of the pipe and the regular crossing of heavy vehicles above the right-ofway.
To facilitate planning of the Stadacona Corporation’s forest lands operation, the
proponent chose the alternative HSouth-I (Figure 14).
Work on the pipeline in wetlands could cause habitat losses for protected species. No
comprehensive inventory has been conducted in the Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon peat
bog to confirm the presence of amphibians or plants with a protection status. The
proponent acknowledged that the impacts on wetlands would be considerable but
believed that applying the same mitigation measures as those planned for wooded
areas would reduce these impacts. Yet he specified that installing a pipe in a wetland
would require several technical adaptations, such as constructing an access road
using a bridging to enable equipment circulation, setting up saddle weights (concrete
weights) on the pipe to keep it in place, and applying various water control measures.
In this regard, the MDDEP expressed concern over the absence of information on this
subject in the proponent’s documents (PR6, p. 159).
♦ Recommendation 24 — The Panel recommends that the proponent study the
possibility of modifying the H-I stretch of the route for the pipeline to avoid the Saint-
Étienne-de-Lauzon peat bog. If avoiding it is impossible, the Panel recommends that
the proponent conduct the required inventories, assess the potential use of this sector
by protected animal and plant species and analyze the work’s impacts on wetlands. If
necessary, mitigation, compensation and follow-up measures should be planned, in
compliance with the guidelines of the ministère du Développement durable, de
l’Environnement et des Parcs for work to be authorized on wetlands.
Fish and their habitats
In Quebec, fish habitat is protected under the Fisheries Act, the Act respecting the
conservation and development of wildlife (R.S.Q., c. 61.1) and the Regulation
respecting wildlife habitats [C-61.1, r-0.1.5] enacted under this Act. The project
includes work that would cause the disruption or destruction of fish habitat, especially
during the construction of the jetty and rock platform in the St. Lawrence River. On
land, the diversion of a creek and numerous river crossings by means of open
trenches and the crossing of three major creeks or rivers by directional drilling are
planned – for the rivières Etchemin, Chaudière and Beaurivage.
212 Rabaska Project – Implementation of an LNG Terminal and Related Infrastructure