Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) Registration for the ...

REVISED PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) REGISTRATION
FOR THE NEPISIGUIT FALLS GENERATING STATION MODIFICATION AND REHABILITATION PROJECT
Surface water run-off during Construction will be managed through typical construction
mitigation measures (e.g., sediment or silt fence, use of geotextiles materials), and water quality
will be measured to maintain TSS and turbidity levels to acceptable concentrations in
accordance with standard guidelines (CCME 1999).
Decommissioning and Abandonment activities will be similar to those required for Construction
and are not expected to result in significant environmental effects to Water Resources.
Decommissioning and Abandonment activities will be subject to a regulatory approval process
and activities necessary to complete this phase of the Project will be identified in the
Decommissioning and Abandonment Plan to be developed at the appropriate time at the end of
the Project life.
As such, the Project as planned is not expected to result in significant adverse residual
environmental effects to Water Resources. The environmental effects of the Project, including
cumulative environmental effects, on Water Resources are rated not significant during all
phases.
4.2.2.3 Terrestrial Environment
The context of the Terrestrial Environment includes Wildlife (i.e., birds and animals) and Wildlife
Habitat and Rare Plants.
Operation has been ranked as 0 in Table 4.1 because no interaction is anticipated with this
phase of the Project and the Terrestrial Environment as electrical hydro generation does not
occur within the Terrestrial Environment, and no change in operating levels that could affect the
Terrestrial Environment will result from the Project.
Construction and Decommissioning and Abandonment have been ranked as 1 in Table 4.1 due
to the potential disturbance of wildlife habitat in the LAA, potential loss of wildlife habitat and
potential interactions with wildlife species of special status, Species at Risk (SAR) and Species
of Special Concern (SOCC) during Construction.
Wildlife
During Construction, heavy equipment will be operated and may cause interactions with the
Terrestrial Environment. These interactions include the potential for indirect noise disturbance,
and the direct mortality of wildlife and/or habitat loss, including SAR/SOCC or their habitat.
Construction activity may affect some local wildlife populations by increasing sound levels within
the LAA, however this would be temporary and for short in duration (limited to the 4-month
construction period). Increased traffic during Construction may have similar interactions with
the Terrestrial Environment; however, sound levels originating from an increased traffic are not
anticipated to be higher than that of normal operation of the NFGS. Although sound generated
by Construction may deter some species e.g., birds, from inhabiting the LAA during
Construction, the disturbance will be short-term and intermittent, and there is an abundance of
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