MCK seeking input from community members on important project

08/09/2021

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) wishes to invite Kahnawa’kehró:non to participate in a land-use study taking place until October 2021.

As announced on June 14, 2021, the MCK signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hydro-Québec to partner on the Hertel-NY Interconnection Project, which involves supplying energy to New York City through the construction of an approximately 60-kilometer underground transmission line between a Hertel substation in Laprairie and an interconnection point located at the Canada-United States Border.

Part of the process is the conducting of a study, formally titled “Hertel – New York Interconnection: an MCK/Hydro-Québec Collaborative Land Use Study of the Kanien’kehá:ka on the Richelieu/Lake Champlain River.” The study includes a data collection phase from August 9, 2021, to September 3, 2021, where Kahnawa’kehró:non will be asked for input on the potential impacts of the project in the study area (click here to see map).

Because the study area along the shore of the Richelieu River is part of our traditional territory, we wish to gather information from Kahnawa’kehró:non who frequent the shoreline and waterway to hunt, fish, trap, boat, pick medicine, camp, etc., and/or have historical knowledge of the study area. Information gathered during this study will also provide baseline data for a larger land-use study that the MCK is currently developing.

An online presentation (via Zoom) will be made by Hydro-Québec and land-use researchers on Thursday, August 12, 2021, from 3pm-4pm. Time will be allotted for questions. You are welcome to join the presentation using this link: https://concordia-ca.zoom.us/j/89021825499?pwd=WkVOMVVUblVRUjZXcEVwRHRxZ1lIUT09

If you wish to participate in an interview, join the online presentation, or have any questions concerning this study, please contact Morgan Phillips at 450-638-4377 or kahentonni@gmail.com, Nafisa Sarwath at nsarwath@gmail.com, or Dennis Diabo at dennis.diabo@mck.ca.