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Procedures Relating to Public Hearings to Review the Eastmain-1-A and Rupert Diversion Hydro-Electric Project

Hydro-Québec Production and the Société d'énergie de la Baie James (the "Proponents") are planning to carry out the Eastmain 1-A and Rupert Diversion project. This project is subject to the environmental assessment procedures set forth in Section 22 of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (the "JBNQA"), in Chapter II of Quebec's Environment Quality Act (EQA), and in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA).

The Canadian and Quebec governments and the Cree Regional Authority (the "CRA") have signed an agreement with respect to the above-mentioned environmental assessment procedures. This agreement stipulates that the provincial Environmental and Social Impact Review Committee (COMEX) created under the JBNQA and the EQA, and the Federal Environmental Review Panel (the "Federal Panel"), created pursuant to the CEAA, must, insofar as possible, coordinate and harmonize their respective review procedures. The Federal Panel and COMEX are hereinafter referred to as the "review bodies."

Assessment phases

• The Proponents submitted the definitive version of their impact statement to the review bodies on January 31, 2005. The impact statement, along with the accompanying supporting studies, was made public on this same date.
• Further to a 90-day public consultation process, the Proponents received a request for additional information on August 2, 2005.
• The Proponents began filing their preliminary answers in successive blocks on September 27, 2005. The final version of the answers to the requests for additional information is expected to be filed in December. After completing their analysis of the final document, the review bodies will determine whether they can proceed to the public hearing phase of the process.
• Once the public hearing phase has been completed, the review bodies will draft a report to be submitted to their respective principals.

Objectives of the public hearings

The public hearings will give interested individuals and organizations an opportunity to gain a clearer understanding of the project and its impacts and to discuss their analyses and viewpoints with the review bodies. They will to allow the review bodies, through direct discussion, to find out what members of the public think about the project and its impacts, and to complete their own understanding of the project. The public hearings will also give the Proponents an opportunity to present their project and provide clarifications, as appropriate.

Public hearing locations and procedural information

Public hearings will be held in the Cree communities of Chisasibi, Wemindji, Eastmain, Waskaganish, Nemaska and Mistissini, as well as in Chibougamau and Montreal. More than one session will be held in each location, according to specific needs. The hearings will be open to individuals or organizations wishing to make a presentation on the project and its impacts.

The schedule will be made public at least 45 days before the beginning of the hearings.

If they consider it appropriate, the review bodies may decide to hold sessions focussing on specific topics. If such thematic sessions are to be held, they will be announced ahead of time.

Each session will be divided into two separate parts:

• The first part will be devoted to information. The Proponents will outline their project and its expected environmental and social impacts, and will provide additional information in response to questions from the public referred to them by the Chair of the hearing. The review bodies reserve the right to limit the number of questions each participant will be allowed to ask.
• There will then be a short break, after which the consultation period will begin. During this part of the hearing, members of the public will present their written submissions or give oral presentations. Each participant will be allotted a reasonable amount of time in which to make his or her presentation.

Participants at sessions in northern communities, including Chibougamau, will be able to make their presentations to the review bodies in English, French or Cree. In Montreal, the sessions will take place in English or French, according to the language of the participants. Simultaneous translation services will be available at all the hearings.

A verbatim transcript of each session will be produced and made public.

Chair

The chairman of COMEX and the chairman of the Federal Panel will chair the hearings, on an alternating basis.

The chair is responsible for ensuring that the hearings are held in an atmosphere of courtesy and respect, in accordance with the detailed rules and instructions that he will present at the beginning of the first session in each location. The chair must also ensure that the order of the presentations is respected, as well as the time allotted for each presentation, so as to ensure that all participants who express a desire to do so have a chance to express their views.

Public participation

Members of the public are expected to behave in a courteous and respectful manner in order to ensure that everyone has a fair chance to participate. They must respect the rules and instructions set out by the chair of the hearing, and the time allotted for their presentation.

All comments or questions from the public must be addressed to the chair of the hearing.

In order to facilitate the management of the meetings, anyone wishing to participate, either during the information or consultation period, is asked to sign up on the registry in the meeting room. Officials from the review bodies will be on hand to help participants register and to guide them.

Members of the public will have the choice of making a written submission or simply giving an oral presentation. A written submission is not mandatory in order to be eligible to participate in the hearings.

Participants who choose to make a written submission are asked to send their document to the review bodies at least 10 days before the hearing at which the submission is to be presented. This will help ensure the effectiveness of discussions with members of the review bodies.

Communication of information

The written submissions and verbatim transcripts of the hearings will be posted on the following Web sites: Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca); COMEX (www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca) and the Public Information Office (www.bip.pio.qc.ca).

Contact information - Secretariats

Federal Review Panel

Eric Giroux
Panel Manager
1141 Route de l'Eglise, 2nd floor
PO Box 9514
St Foy, Quebec G1V 4B8
Tel: 418 649-6442
Fax: 418 649-6443
eric.giroux@acee-ceaa.gc.ca

COMEX

Michael O'Neill
COMEX Secretary
675 René Lévesque Blvd East
Marie-Guyart Building, 6th floor, Box 83
Quebec City, Quebec G1R 5V7
Tel: 418 521-3933, extension 7255
Fax: 418 646-0266
michael.oneill@mddep.gouv.qc.ca