Report - Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale

Impacts on the natural environment
♦ Finding — The Panel notes that, in cases where directional drilling would prove to be
impossible for the pipeline crossing under the rivières Etchemin, Chaudière and
Beaurivage, the open trench method would have impacts on fish habitat. This method
would be authorized only as a last resort by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the
ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune and by means of the necessary
compensation measures.
♦ Recommendation 26 — The Panel recommends to the ministries concerned to keep
in mind the technical feasibility of the directional drilling as a criterion in the final
choice of a pipeline route for the rivières Etchemin, Chaudière and Beaurivage
crossings.
Fish habitat compensation
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has evaluated the potential impacts of the work on the
St. Lawrence River. The department believes that the project would cause the
destruction of approximately 12,620 m 2 of fish habitat, the deterioration of
approximately 16,000 m 2 of habitat and a three-year long disruption caused by SM
and noise during construction. This habitat loss, deemed acceptable by Fisheries and
Oceans Canada, should nevertheless be compensated in order to respect the zero
net loss principle, in compliance with the Policy for the Management of Fish Habitat.
♦ Opinion 20 — Insofar as fish habitat losses or disruption caused by the project are
compensated and by means of the appropriate mitigation measures, the Panel
believes that the project is not likely to cause any significant environmental impacts on
fish habitat.
♦ Recommendation 27 — The Panel recommends that the proponent’s compensation
project for fish habitat losses and disruptions be submitted to Fisheries and Oceans
Canada within the present environmental assessment.
Avian fauna
According to the proponent’s analyses, none of the 73 bird species inventoried in
June 2005 in the proposed terminal and jetty area would be either at risk in Canada or
threatened, vulnerable or likely to be designated as such in Quebec. Seven rare or
threatened species have however been observed by amateur ornithologists in the
area under study. Among the species inventoried by the proponent, 64 are breeding
species in the terminal area. Environment Canada indicates, however, that no
protected species has been confirmed to be breeding in the area under study.
216 Rabaska Project – Implementation of an LNG Terminal and Related Infrastructure