Notice of Determination:

Poplar St, La Plonge, Saskatchewan

[April 25^th, 2024] Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has determined that the La Plonge Solar and Battery Energy Storage System Project (the Project) is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, with the implementation of mitigation and monitoring measures.

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

• Impacts on rights of Indigenous peoples.
• Changes to the environment and the impact of these changes on the Indigenous peoples of Canada and on health, social or economic conditions resulting from project activities.
• Comments received from the public.
• Technically and economically feasible mitigation measures.

Potential project impacts identified include:

• Impacts to Saskatchewan Boreal Caribou through habitat removal.
• Impacts to migratory birds through habitat removal.
• Impacts to raptors through habitat removal.

Mitigation measures considered for this determination are:

• Removing vegetation outside of local migratory bird nesting season.
• Conducting raptor stick nest surveys during the boreal raptor breeding season.
• Conducting migratory bird breeding and migration surveys.
• Conforming to standards to reduce attraction of migratory birds to lighting at the project site.
• Monitoring for the presence of Saskatchewan Boreal Caribou at and around the project site.
• Compensating habitat for the loss of critical caribou habitat.
• Consulting the Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation if wetlands are encountered during project activities.

ECCC is satisfied that the carrying out of the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, and thus is able to provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.