Launch of public consultations on the environmental assessment for the new bridge for the St. Lawrence

MONTREAL, Nov. 16, 2012 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is moving forward with plans to build a new bridge for the St. Lawrence and invites interested persons to attend open houses on the environmental assessment, in the Montreal region from December 2, 2012 to December 10, 2012.

These open houses are an opportunity for people to receive more information, meet specialists and comment on the project description, as well as the physical, biological and human environments that are the subject of the first preliminary environmental assessment report. This report can be viewed on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's website at http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents-eng.cfm?evaluation=65574&type=5.

The Government of Canada will also accept written comments on topics covered in the first preliminary environmental assessment report and during these open houses until January 15, 2013.

More information on the open houses is included in the attached backgrounder.

For more information about the new bridge for the St. Lawrence, please visit www.tc.gc.ca/nbfsl.

Backgrounder

Open houses on the environmental assessment of the new bridge for the St. Lawrence

The environmental assessment for the project to build a new bridge for the St. Lawrence began on January 22, 2012. It examines the project's impacts on the environment and proposes ways to reduce them. It also evaluates the bridge design and construction techniques, to make decisions that respect the environment.

The first preliminary environmental assessment report is now available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's website at http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents-eng.cfm?evaluation=65574&type=5.

An initial series of open houses will take place in December 2012 at the following locations:

We will accept your written comments on topics covered in the first preliminary report and during these open houses until January 15, 2013. We will take these comments into consideration during the next steps of the environmental assessment.

A second preliminary environmental assessment report, as well as a second series of open houses on the environmental assessment, will follow in spring 2013. These will discuss any environmental impacts of the project and ways to mitigate them. At that time, we will also accept written comments about this report and topics covered in the second series of open houses.

For more information or to share your comments:

SOURCE: Transport Canada