High Falls and Manitou Falls Hydroelectric Project Description
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1. General Information
1.1 General
This Project Description has been prepared to meet the requirements of the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act (CEAA) and the provincial Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) for
Waterpower Projects (OWA, 2008).
1.1.1 Name and Proposed Location of Project
The name of the project is the Manitou and High Falls Hydro Project. The proposed project is
located on the Pic River, approximately 20 km northwest of Manitouwadge, Ontario (Figure 1.1).
1.1.2 Nature of Project
Manitou Falls (Site 2BB04) and High Falls (Site 2BB02) are located on the Pic River approximately 70 and 85 km upstream from Lake Superior. These sites were released by the Ministry of Natural
Resources (MNR) as potential waterpower developments as part of Competitive Site Release Package
(CRP) number CRP-01-07. In response to the CRP, the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation (PRFN)
submitted a Plan of Development (POD) to the MNR on January 28, 2008. MNR awarded PRFN
Applicant of Record Status on April 28, 2009.
Accordingly, PRFN is proposing to construct hydroelectric facilities at Manitou Falls and High Falls.
The facility at High Falls would have a generating capacity of 3.2 MW and would consist of a short
overflow weir with two sluices and an adjacent intake structure at the head of the falls, with a
penstock leading to the powerhouse at the base of the falls. The facility at Manitou Falls would have
a generating capacity of 2.8 MW and would consist of an overflow weir with an intake canal leading
to the powerhouse, located on the east side of the river, adjacent to the downstream end of the falls.
The facilities will convey power from their switchyards to an interconnection point on the existing
48-kV distribution line running from the Twin Falls GS on the Kagiano River south of the proposed
facilities.
The design information to date is based on the design provided in the POD, which in turn, is based
on the Prefeasibility Study (Chant, 2007). Feasibility studies and field investigations will be required
to optimize the design and it could be subject to change from that presented herein.
1.1.3 Purpose of the Project
The purposes of the project are to
1.1.4 Parties who Received the Project Description
This Project Description has been submitted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
(CEA Agency) in Toronto for distribution to relevant federal agencies including Fisheries and Oceans
Canada (DFO), Transport Canada (TC), Environment Canada (EC), Health Canada (HC), Indian and
Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and any other agencies deemed relevant by the CEA Agency.
The Project Description will also be submitted to the MNR (Wawa), Ontario Ministry of the
Environment (MOE) in Thunder Bay, the Ontario Ministry of Culture (MOC) and the Town of
Manitouwadge. In addition, the Project Description will be provided to the PRFN, Pic Mobert,
Longlac 58 and the Ginoogaming First Nation and will be available for review by members of the
public commenting on the provincial Class EA Notice of Commencement.
1.1.5 Federal, Provincial and Municipal Agency and Stakeholder Consultations
The agencies and organizations shown in Table 1.1 are among the entities to be consulted for this
environmental screening/Class EA. All of the agencies and stakeholders listed in Table 1.1 were sent
an introductory letter and copy of the Notice of Commencement in September 2009. The Notice of
Commencement was also published in the Marathon Mercury, Manitouwadge Echo and Thunder
Bay Chronicle Journal.
Table 1.1 Government Agencies and Organizations to be Contacted
| Federal Government Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Environment Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Health Canada Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Transport Canada (TC) Infrastructure Canada |
Provincial Government Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs Ministry of Culture Ministry of Energy Ministry of the Environment (MOE) Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Ministry of Transportation Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry |
|
Municipal Government Corporation of the Town of Manitouwadge Corporation of the Town of Marathon Municipality of Greenstone |
First Nations Pic River First Nation Ginogaming First Nation Pic Mobert First Nation Longlac 58 |
|
Industry/Commercial Stakeholders Manitouwadge Public Consultation Committee Manitouwadge Economic Development Committee Ontario Waterpower Association |
1.1.6 Other Environmental Assessment Processes
This project is subject to the Class EA for Waterpower Projects (OWA, 2008), which is an approved
Class EA under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The project is considered to be a ‘new
project on an unmanaged waterway’ and will be assessed in accordance with the Class EA
requirements for such a designation.
1.2 Contacts
1.2.1 Proponent and Contact Information
The project proponent is Pic River. There are no co-proponents involved in this project. Contact
information for Pic River is as follows:
Mr. Byron LeClair, Director, Energy Projects
Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation
P.O. Box 193
Heron Bay, Ontario
P0T 1R0
Telephone: (807) 229-1749
Email: bleclair@picriver.com
1.2.2 Proponent’s Consultant
Pic River retained Hatch Ltd. to conduct the Class EA for this project. Contact information is as
follows:
Project Manager
Larry King
Hatch Ltd.
4342 Queen Street, Suite 500
Niagara Falls, Ontario
L2E 7J7
Phone: 613-478-3572
Fax: 905-374-1157
Email: lking@hatch.ca
1.3 Federal Involvement
1.3.1 Financial Support
Pic River may apply for federal funding under the Green Infrastructure Fund.
1.3.2 Land Ownership
The land to be used by the project (i.e., for the generating stations, overflow weirs, head ponds,
switchyards, access roads and transmission line corridors) is provincial Crown land. No part of the
project will be located on federally owned land.
1.4 Authorizations Required
Table 1.2 outlines the potential federal, provincial and municipal permits and approvals that might
be required.
Table 1.2 Federal, Provincial and Municipal Approvals
| Permit and Legislative Requirement | Agency |
| FEDERAL | |
| Authorization for Works and Undertakings Affecting Fish Habitat - Fisheries Act [Section 35(2)] | DFO |
| Authorization for Destruction of Fish by Means other than Fishing - Fisheries Act (Section 32) | DFO |
| Approval for Construction in Navigable Waters - Navigable Waters Protection Act (Section 5) | TC (Marine) |
| PROVINCIAL | |
| Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act (LRIA) – Location Approval and Plans and Specifications Approval | MNR |
| Water Management Plan MNR Cultural Heritage Clearance – Phase 1 Archaeological Assessment Ministry of Culture Permit to Take Water – Ontario Water Resources Act (Section 34) | MOE |
| Certificate of Approval (Industrial Sewage) – Ontario Water Resources Act (Section 53) | MOE |
| Certificate of Approval (Air and Noise) – Environmental Protection Act (Section 9) | MOE |
| Waste Generator Registration – Environmental Protection Act [Section 18(1)], Ontario Regulation 347 | MOE |
| Notice of Project and Registration of Contractors – Construction Regulation 213/91 | Ministry of Labour |
An authorization from DFO under the Fisheries Act and approval from Transport Canada (Marine)
under the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) will likely be required. Either will trigger the
need for an environmental assessment under CEAA. If Pic River obtains federal funding, this will
also trigger the need for a federal environmental assessment under CEAA. Since the proposed
project is less than 200 MW, a screening level environmental assessment would be completed in
accordance with CEAA and respective guidelines.
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