Hydro’s Bipole III clears hurdle

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This article was published 12/07/2013 (4453 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s environmental watchdog has recommended the province issue an environmental licence for the controversial Bipole III transmission line Manitoba Hydro wants to build to deliver power from northern generating stations.

Observers say the larger story is the Clean Environment Commission finally showed some teeth.

In a 130-page report released Thursday, the CEC slammed the environment-impact study prepared by Manitoba Hydro and recommended to the province to overhaul its legislation on how future environmental-impact studies (EIS) are conducted.

“It’s required reading for everybody,” said Gaile Whelan Enns of environmental group Manitoba Wildlands. “The Clean Environment Commission has stepped up.”

The commission wrote that Hydro’s EIS for Bipolie III “was fraught with problems.”

“It would have been justifiable for the commission to reject the EIS as presented and to send (Hydro) away to start over,” the commission said.

More important, the CEC said the government must strengthen its environmental impact assessment process so a similar situation is not repeated. It also said to do nothing would pose additional, unneeded threats to the environment.

Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh said the province will fix what’s broken by moving up by two years a consultation process on improving the EIS process. Consultations will start this year instead of 2015.

“We’re going to look at how we can strengthen environmental assessment to make it state-of-the-art,” Mackintosh said.

The CEC also said the province has to do a better job consulting with First Nations, of which 46 communities are affected by the planned bipole line and Hydro development.

“It seems clear that consultation with aboriginal communities, as well as with the non-aboriginal population, needs to be modernized,” the CEC said.

Bipole III is to be in service in 2017, but the province cannot issue the environmental licence until ongoing consultations with First Nations are finished.

Bipole III is a high-voltage transmission line to be built on the west side of the province. It is designed to deliver more electricity from Manitoba Hydro’s northern dams to meet growing domestic demand and to meet increased surplus power exports to the United States.

The CEC also said the government should create a provincewide aboriginal traditional knowledge database that could include information on traditional lands and ceremonial and burial grounds. “It’s very important aboriginal communities provide their advice on that,” Mackintosh said.

The CEC also recommended eight minor changes to the 1,384-kilometre route, mostly to accommodate farmers and homeowners, and expressed concern Manitoba Hydro may not have consulted all farmers.

“The commission is cognizant that there may be differences of opinion among farmers. We expect Manitoba Hydro to consult directly with all involved farmers. If no consensus can be reached, majority will rule.”

Karen Friesen of the Bipole III Coalition, a group representing farmers opposed to the line’s route, said despite that, she’s disappointed the CEC recommended a licence be issued.

“They’re still taking this long, crazy route,” she said. “Our fight is not over.”

Hydro spokesman Glenn Schneider said the Crown corporation needs more time before commenting further.

bruce.owen@fereepress.mb.ca