"Northvolt's faltering endeavor, once avoiding environmental evaluation"

In a move that has sparked protests and raised concerns about environmental impact, the Legault government in Quebec has decided to bypass an extensive environmental evaluation procedure that would have led to a BAPE (Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement) review for the Northvolt project.

The Northvolt project, an industrial megaproject for a giga-factory of batteries, is located near the Richelieu River and has been subject to controversy due to its environmental consequences. The site, previously used for manufacturing chemical products, fertilizers, and explosives, contains various contaminants, including carcinogenic substances.

The presence of this pollution dates back to before Northvolt's arrival, and the contamination was revealed by a news report in May. Despite this, the government of Québec has exempted the Northvolt battery factory project from a comprehensive environmental review, citing the project's industrial nature.

Preparatory work for the project has already resulted in the clearing of vegetation cover and the destruction of dozens of wetlands. These operations have exposed soils that may contain contaminants, potentially leading to leaks into the Richelieu River.

The environmental procedure that was bypassed would have included an impact study of the project's environmental, social, and economic issues. This study would have taken at least 18 months to complete. However, due to the government's decision, no such study will be conducted.

The decision to avoid the environmental evaluation has not been without opposition. A hundred protesters in Quebec peacefully protested to send a message to the Legault government, expressing their concerns about the project's potential environmental impact.

Tragically, Isabelle Vaillancourt, the general director of Publications BLD, passed away on Sunday. Vaillancourt was a prominent figure in the environmental movement in Quebec and was a vocal critic of the government's decision to exempt the Northvolt project from a comprehensive environmental review.

In a further development, the Legault government has authorized the operations without requiring decontamination and has announced that the 352-megawatt power block reserved for the Northvolt project will be released.

As the controversy surrounding the Northvolt project continues, many in Quebec are left questioning the government's commitment to environmental protection and the well-being of its citizens.