This commentary is by Lynn St-Laurent, spokesperson for Hydro-Québec.
There is an adage which states that any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word “no.” The reason journalists use that style of headline is that they know the story is probably “bollixed” and don’t actually have the sources and facts to back it up, but still want to run it.”
In the article Feb. 17 “Is Vermont’s use of HydroQuebec power greenwashing?” on Hydro-Québec’s GHG well-documented low-carbon footprint, the reporter gave way to the claims of one professor’s (mis)interpretations of Hydro-Québec and independent research on reservoir hydro in a boreal climate. This professor may be from MIT but he also owns a home next to the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission corridor in Maine and stands with this project’s opponents.
There are decades of peer-reviewed research on our carbon footprint, and U.S. academics, at MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research and Columbia for instance, recognize that Québec hydropower can play a significant role in decarbonizing the Northeast. The reporter had a long list of independent experts to choose from in order to verify the professor’s claims but failed to do so.
Québec hydropower’s carbon footprint is significantly lower than electricity generation from natural gas and coal, and on par with wind. Methane is not an issue in Québec reservoirs because of the cold water, which contains more dissolved oxygen, and the sparse vegetation in Québec’s Northern environment.
Regarding Indigenous communities in Québec, there is no denying there are land claims and territorial issues. These matters are addressed in discussions or treaty negotiations between the federal and provincial governments and the relevant Indigenous communities or nations.
Hydro-Québec’s relationship with First Nations isn’t perfect to be sure; issues are complex, and some are difficult to resolve. There has been, however, remarkable progress over the years. There are 11 Indigenous nations, in 55 communities, living in Québec. Over the past four decades, Hydro-Québec and five nations have signed over 40 agreements.
Those aren’t empty numbers. These agreements are meaningful, and through them, the Indigenous communities have become active partners in clean energy projects. The
improvements and strengthening of these relationships are a result of committed and visionary individuals, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, working together for sustainable development and lasting partnerships. Our most recent agreement, for the Apuiat Wind Farm project in Québec’s North Coast, is another great step in our partnership with Indigenous communities.
Unverified or unbalanced reporting only serves to muddy the waters at a time when we need to make informed decisions about our use of energy, particularly in the context of the climate urgency we are facing.
