How will the Site C dam affect the environment?

How will the Site C dam affect the environment?

Among other impacts, the Site C dam will destroy habitat for more than 100 species already vulnerable to extinction, including bird, plant, butterfly, bee and mammal species—this at a time when scientists warn we are facing a biodiversity crisis. It’s also a flyway for migratory birds and a boreal bird nursery.

Do we need Site C?

Do we really need Site C? Yes. B.C.’s electricity needs are forecast to increase by approximately 40 per cent over the next 20 years as the economy expands and the population grows by more than a million people. The electricity needs of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities would further increase demand.

How much power is a Site C?

1,100 megawatts
Site C will provide 1,100 megawatts (MW) of capacity, and produce about 5,100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity each year – enough energy to power the equivalent of about 450,000 homes per year in B.C.

What is an Environmental Impact Statement Canada?

Comment period on draft guidelines — The proponent must prepare an environmental impact statement. This document must identify and assess the environmental effects of the project and the measures proposed to mitigate those effects. This statement must also be in line with guidelines prepared by the Agency.

Why should the Site C dam be built?

The Site C project will provide key benefits for B.C., including energy, dependable capacity and flexibility, regional economic development, job creation, and benefits for communities and Aboriginal groups.

What is the point of Site C?

Site C will provide 1,100 megawatts of capacity, and produce about 5,100 gigawatt hours of electricity each year — enough energy to power the equivalent of about 450,000 homes per year in B.C. It will be a source of clean and renewable electricity for more than 100 years.

How Long Will Site C last?

The first generators will be on line in 2024 and the project will be completed in 2025. Once built, Site C will be a source of clean, reliable and affordable electricity in B.C. for more than 100 years.

What should be included in an environmental impact statement?

An EIS outlines the status of the environment in the affected area, provides a baseline for understanding the potential consequences of the proposed project, identifies positive and negative effects for the environment, and offers alternative actions, including inaction, in relation to the proposed project.

How much does an environmental impact statement cost?

The typical environmental impact statement costs between $250,000 to $2 million based on governmentwide cost estimates.

What is happening at Site C?

Site C will be a third dam and generating station on the Peace River in northeast B.C. The project will provide 1,100 megawatts of capacity and about 5,100 gigawatt hours of energy each year to the province’s integrated electricity system.

How did BC Hydro do the environmental assessment?

As part of the environmental assessment, BC Hydro undertook multi-year studies to identify and assess potential project effects and proposed comprehensive mitigation measures. All of this information was documented in more than 29,000 pages in the Site C Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and associated documentation.

When did Site C get its environmental approval?

The Site C project received environmental approval from the federal and provincial governments in October 2014. In addition, the Crown has a duty to consult and, where appropriate, accommodate Indigenous groups.

When did the site c report come out?

Joint Review Panel hearings for Site C took place from December 2013 to January 2014. In May 2014, the Joint Review Panel submitted its report to the Federal Minister of Environment and the Executive Director of the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office.