<emph render="italic">Great Whale Environmental Assessment</emph>

]> APAP-327 NORTH COUNTRY JAMES BAY GROUP RECORDS, (APAP-327), 1966-1998 James Weis M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives Staff

1400 Washington Avenue / Albany, New York 12222

© 2012 By the University at Albany, SUNY. All rights reserved. James Weis2012 English December 28, 2012 Jodi Boyle added new files from 2012 accession. NORTH COUNTRY JAMES BAY GROUP RECORDS, 1966-1998 M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives 2012

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Descriptive Summary North Country James Bay Group Records 1966-1998 1.2 cubic ft. M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University at Albany, SUNY The North Country James Bay Group records document efforts of this upstate New York environmental organization to stop Hydro-Québec’s Great Whale (Grande Baleine) River/James Bay II development efforts in the early 1990s. The materials in the collection are in English and French. The materials are located onsite in the department. Access

Access to this record group is unrestricted.

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Acquisition Information

Margaret Weitzmann and Lucia Dailey donated materials in 2011 and 2012 to the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives.

Biographical Sketch

The James Bay hydroelectric project was an extensive build-up of hydroelectric power plants in the James Bay area and other nearby areas of Canada by Hydro-Québec. This multi-phase project began in 1972 with the construction of the first phase, the LaGrande complex. Nearly two decades later, plans for the multi-billion dollar James Bay II or Great Whale (Grande Baleine) River hydroelectric project called for the construction of dams, dikes, and reservoirs, the flooding of wilderness, removal of forest land, and the diversion of rivers. Similar action occurred with James Bay I. In light of environmental effects of the previous project and its negative impact upon the traditional lifestyle of the Cree people, the plans for James Bay II caused concern among native peoples of the area, scientists and environmental groups around the world. Plans were eventually stopped in the early 1990s after New York State withdrew from a billion dollar hydroelectric purchase agreement with Hydro-Québec in 1992 citing changed economic conditions, the Canadian government required Hydro-Québec to revise its environmental study prepared for James Bay II and the then Premier of Quebec, Jacques Parizeau, announced in 1994 that the project was being put on hold indefinitely.

The North Country James Bay Group was a New York-based grassroots organization dedicated to halting the development of the Great Whale River Project over concerns of a potential impact upon the environment, the rights of indigenous peoples living in the area and the argument that New York State did not need to purchase power from Hydro-Québec to meet its energy needs. North Country James Bay Group member Margaret Weitzmann, the principal donor of this collection, was a librarian and is now Faculty Emeriti for the State University of New York Potsdam campus. On behalf of the North Country James Bay Group, she spoke at public hearings, wrote articles and letters to the editor, attended and chaired conferences and participated in demonstrations against James Bay II.

Scope and Content Information

The North Country James Bay Group Records document efforts of this upstate New York environmental organization to stop Hydro-Québec’s Great Whale (Grande Baleine) River/James Bay II development efforts in the early 1990s. This collection, donated by group members Margaret Weitzmann and Lucia Dailey, includes press releases, manuscripts and writings, fliers for rallies and events, conference materials, U.S. and Canadian newspaper clippings, statements made at public hearings, correspondence and subject files.

Archivists transfered several multi-volume reports, including the <emph render="italic">Great Whale Environmental Assessment</emph> and Hydro-Québec’s <emph render="italic">Grande Baleine Complex Feasibility Study</emph> to Cataloging for inclusion in Minerva, the University Library catalog. After being cataloged, they will reside in the book division of Special Collections.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized alphabetically. There are no series.

Subject and Genre Headings North Country James Bay Group Hydro-Québec Power Authority of the State of New York James Bay Hydroelectric Project Conservation of natural resources--Canada Cree Indians--James Bay Region--Social life and customs Water-power--United States Aquatic resources conservation--Canada Wildlife conservation--Canada James Bay (Nunavut) New York (State) James Bay Region--Environmental conditions. Upstate New York (N.Y.) Speeches Clippings Correspondence Official reports Fliers (printed matter) Press releases Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, North Country James Bay Group Records, 1966-1998. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the North Country James Bay Group Records).

Container List 1 1 Background Information on the Conformity and Quality Review of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Great Whale Project Undated 1 2 Communications and Outreach 1989-1994 1997-1998 Undated 1 3 Conference, Albany 1994 1993-1994 Undated 1 4 Conference, Cornell 1991 1991 1 5 Confernece, Montreal 1997 1997 Undated 1 6 Correspondence from NYPA to Luke Dailey 1991-1992 1 7 Correspondence, M. Weitzmann 1989-1994 1997-1998 Undated 1 8 Current Issues: James Bay, Hydro-Québec and the Relationship with New York State 1991 1 9 Draft Guidelines for the Environmental Impact Study of the Great Whale Hydroelectric Project 1992 1 10-11 Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Great Whale Hydroelectric Project 1992 1 12 Fliers and Pamphlets 1990-1992 1997 Undated 1 13-14 Hydro-Québec Publications 1989-1991 1993 1 15 Journal Articles 1974 1986 1990-1992 1 16 League of Women Voters 1990-1992 Undated 1 17 Les Lignes a 735KV Baie James 1977 1 18-19 New York State Reports and Environmental Review 1992 1 20-21 Newspaper and Magazine Articles 1979 1982 1985-1986 1988-1994 Undated 1 22 Newspaper, Full Text 1988 1991-1992 Undated 1 23-26 Newspaper Items, Quebec/ James Bay 1990-1994 1 27 Press Releases 1989-1994 1 28 P.R.O.T.E.C.T 1993-1994 1 29-30 Public Hearings, Testimony, and Supplemental Materials 1990-1995 Undated 1 31 Published Articles by Margaret Weitzmann 1990-1991 2 1 Statement of Concerns and Recommendations for Protection and Enhancement Measures 1975 2 2 Surface Water Data, Ungava Bay Drainage (1954-1963) 1966