August 26, 1999
(Mines and Energy)

Environmental contracts awarded for Churchill River Power Project's 1999 Field Program

Mines and Energy Minister Roger Grimes today announced the awarding of five environmental contracts for the 1999 field program for the proposed Churchill River Power Project.

"Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec and their respective hydroelectric utilities are committed to developing the proposed project in an environmentally acceptable manner," said Minister Grimes. "These contracts, which will benefit several Newfoundland and Labrador-based companies, represent the continuation of data collection necessary to complete a thorough environmental assessment for the project."

The contracts, worth about $500,000, are jointly funded by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro-Quebec. They involve studies of the Atikonak Lake aquatic ecosystem, freshwater fish and mercury sampling in the Churchill River, and water quality and chlorophyll studies in the Labrador Project area. The Labrador Hydro Project environment team prepared the work scopes for the studies in consultation with Hydro-Quebec. The field program will provide opportunities for people of Sheshatshiu and Davis Inlet.

"Innu Nation has agreed, on a without prejudice basis, to participate in the 1999 field program to gather information about the project," said David Nuke, president of Innu Nation. "We look forward to working with the utilities on the technical evaluation of the proposed project."

The following contracts were awarded:

• Innu Environmental and Cormorant Limited in partnership with Jacques Whitford Environment Limited (JWEL) C an estimated $50,000 contract to manage all logistics for the 1999 field program. The work will be based at the Innu Environmental offices in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The contract includes a mentorship component for Innu logistics assistants and a coordinator.

• LGL Limited C a $165,000 contract to continue the study of the Lake Atikonak aquatic ecosystem initiated in 1998. The study involves the characterization of fish and fish habitat in Lake Atikonak and its major tributaries.

• Innu Environmental C a $43,000 contract to provide Innu field assistants to the Labrador Hydro Project for its 1999 field program. Field assistants will work with study teams to help collect baseline data.

• AGRA Earth and Environmental (AGRA) C a $170,000 contract to study freshwater fish population structure and mercury sampling in the Churchill River. This contract is a continuation of work initiated in 1998. The study involves collecting fish for age, sex, maturity and size, as well as information on current mercury levels in the fish.

• JWEL C a $68,000 contract to continue to study water quality and chlorophyll in the Labrador portion of the project area, including the Churchill River.

In addition, the following two contracts, worth a combined $150,000 for the 1999 portion, have been extended to monitor work initiated in 1998:

• JWEL C an estimated $85,000 contract to continue ongoing studies from the 1998 field season on fish migration and habitat use. In 1998, five different species of fish had radio transmitters implanted to track seasonal movements throughout the Churchill River and its tributaries.

• Atmospheric Environment Branch (AEB) Atlantic Region of Environment Canada C an estimated $65,000 contract to continue to study the hydrology (water flow) in the Atikonak Lake -Churchill River Watershed.

The Historic Resources contract for Labrador will be awarded in the near future.

Hydro-Quebec will be conducting additional work in Labrador in support of the Romaine River diversion component of the project. This work will include aerial photography, air photo ground control, geodesic grid densification as well as bathymetric surveys. It is to be funded 100 per cent by Hydro-Quebec and will involve firms based in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Media contact:

Carl Cooper, Communications, Mines and Energy, (709) 729-4890,
Kelly Hickman, Communications, Labrador Hydro Project, (709) 737-1823.

1999 08 26 1:55 p.m.