OTTAWA – November 4, 2005 – The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) is providing $100,000 to nine applicants to support their participation in the environmental assessment by a review panel of the proposed Cacouna Energy liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

The recipients are: Le Comité de recherche et d'intervention environnementale du Grand-Portage Inc., Les Amis de la vallée du Saint-Laurent, Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique, Sierra Club of Canada, Vision Cacouna, Conseil régional de l'environnement du Bas-Saint-Laurent, Première Nation Malécite de Viger, Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec and Corporation des propriétaires de l'Île Verte pour la conservation de l'Île Verte.

All of the Funding Review Committee's recommendations are unanimous and are contained in the Committee's report. The Committee's report and the funding guidelines are available on the Agency's Web site.

The project proponents, TransCanada Pipelines Limited and Petro-Canada, propose to build and to operate an LNG terminal at Gros-Cacouna harbour, along the St. Lawrence estuary, east of Rivière-du-Loup. The project, at an estimated cost of more than a half billion dollars, involves: the delivery of liquefied natural gas, in addition to several facilities, two of which are storage tanks; pumping and vaporization equipment; a unit to add nitrogen to the natural gas; offices, access roads, as well as maintenance and security buildings. A wharf for berthing and unloading of LNG carriers would extend approximately 350 metres into the St. Lawrence from the terminal site.