James bay hydroelectric development: Evolution of environmental considerations

Abstract

After giving a brief history of the James Bay hydroelectric development project, the manager of the environment department shows how environmental considerations have evolved as the construction of the La Grande Complex progressed. This evolution owes a lot to the important changes that have occurred in Canada and Quebec in the field of environmental protection since the beginning of the seventies and since the launching of the project. During the first phase of the project, efforts were focussed on acquiring a thorough knowledge of the ecology of the territory and on settling native land claims through negotiations which led to the signing, in November 1975, of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement by all parties concerned. Although the social impacts of the project have been a major preoccupation, numerous environmental studies were carried out in order to optimize engineering alternatives and minimize the biophysical impacts of the different works required to harness rivers. Bor almost all the components of the La Grande Complex, several recommendations were submitted by the environment department at the preliminary stage of a project as well as at the final drafting of the tender document. In a project of such magnitude, it is indeed important to apply a day-by-day control in order to efficiently take environmental considerations into account in the management process. During the construction phase, a special monitoring network was set up to insure a better protection of the environment. Specific environmental provisions designed to complement government rules and regulations were adopted by the Société d’énergie de la Baie James (SEBJ), which integrates them into all its contracts. An officer working on each jobsite reports directly to the jobsite manager and is responsible for the application of these regulations and for the overall protection of the environment. Things have changed since the opening of the first gob-site; today, more than 14, 000 people are working on five important jobsites. Efforts are presently concentrated on defining remedial works to he undertaken, such remedial works being associated with reservoirs, construction sites and diversion areas. Moreover, two organizations, created, under the provisions of the James Bay and northern Quebec Agreement and including native representation, were mandated to determine the measures that can most likely encourage native people to carry on their traditional hunting, fishing and trapping activities. Finally, SEBJ’s environment department has recommended the establishment of an important ecological monitoring program^ designed to scientifdeadly evaluate the behavior of the various environments prior to and after the filling of the reservoirs. The results of these studies will not only allow a better management of the works, but they will also serve as guidelines in determining the remedial measures to be taken and help in predicting the effects of future developments with greater reliability. © 1978 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.