Public Notice
Route 389 Improvement Project between Fire Lake and Fermont – Public Comments Invited and Federal Funding Available

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) is conducting a comprehensive study type of environmental assessment of the proposed Route 389 Improvement Project between Fire Lake and Fermont located in Quebec. The public is invited to comment on the project and the conduct of the comprehensive study.

The public is also invited to comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Guidelines that identify potential environmental effects to be addressed and information that needs to be included in the proponent's EIS. Public comments received will be reviewed and considered before the guidelines are finalized and issued to the proponent.

The draft EIS Guidelines and more information on this project are available on the Agency's website (registry reference number 12-03-66250). To obtain a paper copy of the document, contact the project manager listed in this notice. To view a copy of the document, please visit one of the following locations:

• Fermont Library
  100 Daviault Place
  Fermont
• Band Council Office
  PO Box 8000
  265 des Montagnais Blvd
  Uashat
• Shaputuan Museum
  290 Montagnais Blvd
  Sept-Îles

Written comments in either official language must be sent by June 26, 2012 to:

Route 389 Improvement Project
between Fire Lake and Fermont
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Céline Lachapelle, Project Manager
901-1550, d'Estimauville avenue
Quebec QC G1J 0C1
Telephone: 418-649-6444
Fax: 418-649-6443
Route389Road@ceaa-acee.gc.ca

All comments received will be considered public and will become part of the project file. This is the first of several public comment periods that will occur during the environmental assessment of the project.

$40,000 available for public participation

The Agency is making available $40,000 under its participant funding program to assist groups and individuals to participate in activities related to subsequent public consultations during this environmental assessment.

Applications received by June 26, 2012 will be considered. To submit an application or to obtain additional information on the program, contact:

Participant Funding Program
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Ina Zanovello, Participant Funding Program Officer
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa ON K1A 0H3
Telephone: 1-866-582-1884 or 613-960-0282
Fax: 613-948-9172
PFP.PAFP@ceaa-acee.gc.ca

Information on the Participant Funding Program, including a guide and the application form, is available on the Agency's website.

The Proposed Project (map is a courtesy of AECOM)

The project proposed by the Ministère des Transports du Québec consists of improving Route 389 between Fire Lake and Fermont (kilometre 478 to 564) in order to increase the flow and safety of the road and, in addition, improve the link with Newfoundland and Labrador as well as facilitate access to natural resources The work includes building 55.8 kilometres of new right-of-way road and improving the existing road for a total length of 69.5 kilometres.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.