Project 4 - All-Season Road Connecting Berens River to Poplar River First Nation
From the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to Manitoba Infrastructure re: Second Round of Environmental Impact Statement Technical Review Information Request
Document reference number: 19
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Prairie and Northern Region
Canada Place
Suite 1145, 9700 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4C3
Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale
Région des Prairies et du Nord
Place Canada
Pièce 1145, 9700 rue Jasper
Edmonton (Alberta) T5J 4C3
November 22, 2016
Agency File No.: 005519/Registry File No.: 80094
Jaime Clark
A/Environment Manager,
Environmental Services
Manitoba East Side Road Authority
200-155 Carlton Street
Winnipeg, MB R3C 3H8
Jaime.Clarke@gov.mb.ca
Dear Ms. Clark:
SUBJECT: Federal Information Requests – Round 2, Proposed Project 4 – All-season Road Connecting Berens River and Poplar River First Nation (the Project) Manitoba Infrastructure (Manitoba East Side Road Authority)
Good afternoon,
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency received formal proponent responses to the first round of federal requests for additional information related to the Environmental Impact Statement for Project 4 – All-season Road Connecting Berens River and Poplar River First Nation on October 7, 2015.
Following review by the Agency and expert federal departments, the Agency requires the following additional information:
CEAA-0022 (Round 2)
Context/Rationale: In the Oct.7, 2016 response to IR CEAA-22, the proponent commits to address potential effects of the Project to the current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes. These mitigation measure commitments include sharing information and providing community notifications about construction interactions with navigation on area watercourses and land travel routes, fishing and trapping. The proponent also refers to community notification opportunities in the EIS, in Chapter 4, Table 4-7 Summary of Proposed Future Engagement Activities & Notifications, where in-community meetings/public open houses, newsletters, notices/communications plans, and other engagement activities are described as a way for community members to provide input on construction and Project related aspects.
The federal environmental assessment of the Project will be informed by the information regarding the notification of Métis people not living in Poplar River First Nation, Berens River First Nation, and Berens River Northern Affairs Community, but who may use the area.
Specific Question/Information Requested: How will engagement and notification activities include MMF and Métis people who may not live within Poplar River First Nation, Berens River First Nation, and Berens River Northern Affairs Community but may utilize resources/exercise Aboriginal rights in the area of the project?
Additional comments were provided to the Agency by federal departments, including Health Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada departmental advice to the proponent. These will be forwarded in a separate document.
The federal timeline for the Project 4 environmental assessment is paused when the proponent is required to provide information or conduct studies necessary for the environmental assessment. It will resume once the Agency determines that the information provided satisfies the information requested.
Should you have any questions, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Janet Scott
Project Manager, Prairie and Northern Region
cc:
Nicole Deschenes, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Tara Schweitzer, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Graham Irvine, Health Canada
Angela Bidinosti, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Jackie Barker, Transport Canada