Keeyask Generation Project

Transcription

1 Keeyask Generation Project CEC Hearings - Environmental Impact Statement t t Moving Forward as Partners on Environmental Matters Carolyne Northover: Sr. Environmental Specialist, Manitoba Hydro Ted Bland: York Factory First Nation George Neepin: Fox Lake Cree Nation Victor Spence: Cree Nation Partners 1

2 Panel and Presentation Guide Opening Statements 1 Keeyask Hydropower Limited Partnership 2 Introduction to the Two-track Assessment Approach Project Description Regulatory Environmental Assessment Keeyask Cree Nations Environmental Evaluation Approach & Process Moving Forward on Environmental Matters 1 2

3 Introduction and Roles Carolyne Northover Victor Spence Ted Bland George Neepin Karen Anderson Vicky Cole Jane Kidd-Hantscher Shawna Pachal Sr. Environmental Specialist, Manitoba Hydro Cree Nation Partners: Tataskweyak Cree Nation and War Lake First Nation York Factory First Nation Fox Lake Cree Nation Fox Lake Cree Nation Manager, Major Projects Assessment and Licensing, Manitoba Hydro Partnership Implementation Supervisor, Manitoba Hydro Division Manager, Power Projects Development, Manitoba Hydro 3 3

4 Ted Bland, York Factory First Nation 4 4

5 Introduction Environmental Protection Program Adaptive Management Monitoring Advisory Committee Communication of Outcomes. 5 5

6 Moving Forward as Partners Manitoba Hydro and First Nation Partners talks led to agreements and collaboration in planning Keeyask A collaborative approach resulted in a viable Project, providing maximum regional socio-economic benefits and minimum adverse environmental effects Long-term monitoring and follow-up collaboration continues to strengthen the Partnership. 6 6

7 Environmental Protection Program Implementation Structure Keeyask Hydropower Limited Partnership (KHLP) Manitoba Hydro Project Manager Feedback Monitoring Advisory Committee (MAC) Environmental Protection Program 7 7

8 Environmental Protection Program Environmental Protection Plans (EnvPPs) Environmental Management Plans Sediment Management Generating Fish Habitat Compensation Access Management Station South Access Road Heritage Resources Protection Vegetation Rehabilitation Terrestrial Mitigation Implementation Waterways Management Reservoir Clearing Environmental Monitoring i Plans Technical Science Physical Environment Aquatic Effects Terrestrial Effects Socio-Economic Resource Use Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) Tataskweyak Cree Nation War Lake First Nation York Factory First Nation Fox Lake Cree Nation 8 8

9 Environmental Protection Program Comprehensive Program under development EIS made specific environmental mitigation commitments Commitments are the Program s foundation Preliminary plans submitted Completed after licences issued to incorporate clauses ie i.e. Manitoba Environment Act Licence, Fisheries Act Authorization. 9 9

10 Environmental Protection Program Environmental Environmental Environmental Monitoring i Plans Protection Management Plans Plans (EnvPPs) Sediment Management Technical Aboriginal Generating Fish Habitat Science Traditional Compensation Knowledge Access Management (ATK) Station South Access Road Heritage Resources Protection Vegetation Rehabilitation Terrestrial Mitigation Implementation Waterways Management Reservoir Clearing Physical Environment Aquatic Effects Terrestrial Effects Socio-Economic Resource Use Tataskweyak Cree Nation War Lake First Nation York Factory First Nation Fox Lake Cree Nation 10 10

11 Environmental Protection Plans Measures to be implemented by contractors t and staff to minimize i i construction effects Organized by construction activity (e.g., tree clearing, drilling, in-water work) with mitigation measures listed specific to the activity it Designed as reference documents providing best management practices to meet or exceed regulatory requirements

12 Environmental Protection Program Environmental Environmental Environmental Monitoring i Plans Protection Management Plans Plans (EnvPPs) Sediment Management Technical Aboriginal Generating Fish Habitat Science Traditional Compensation Knowledge Access Management (ATK) Station South Access Road Heritage Resources Protection Vegetation Rehabilitation Terrestrial Mitigation Implementation Waterways Management Reservoir Clearing Physical Environment Aquatic Effects Terrestrial Effects Socio-Economic Resource Use Tataskweyak Cree Nation War Lake First Nation York Factory First Nation Fox Lake Cree Nation 12 12

13 Environmental Management Plans Sediment Management Plan Prescribes procedures to measure sediment levels in Nelson River in real-time due to in-stream construction and actions to be taken if Project s total suspended solids (TSS) exceed target levels - Submitted: April 26, Discussed in: Panel 4b (Physical Environment)

14 Environmental Management Plans Fish Habitat Compensation Plan Identifies works to be installed or other activities to compensate for fish habitat loss Particularly focused on spawning habitat and sturgeon stocking - Submitted: August 14, Discussed in: Panel 4c (Aquatic)

15 Environmental Management Plans Construction Access Management Plan Prescribes measures to ensure safe, coordinated access for authorized users during construction to protect the area s natural resources - Submitted: April 26, Discussed in: Panel 4d (Socio-economic)

16 Environmental Management Plans Heritage Resources Protection Plan Prescribes procedures for addressing heritage resources or human remains discovered during Project construction - Submitted: April 26, Discussed in: Panel 4d (Socio-economic)

17 Environmental Management Plans Vegetation Rehabilitation Plan Project areas not needed for operation will be decommissioned and rehabilitated Will give preference to rehabilitating the most affected priority habitat types - Will be developed during construction - Discussed in: Panel 4c (Terrestrial)

18 Environmental Management Plans Terrestrial Mitigation Implementation Plan Outlines implementation of terrestrial mitigation measures described in the EIS, including such things as wetland replacement and bird-nesting structures - Under development: all concepts included in EIS - Discussed in: Panel 4c (Terrestrial)

19 Environmental Management Plans Waterways Management Program Contribute to the safe use and enjoyment of the waterway from Split Lake to Stephens Lake A multi-purpose boat patrol to monitor shoreline and waterway activities and manage debris during both pre- and post impoundment - Submitted: April 26, 2013 and in JKDA - Discussed in: Panels 3 and 4b (Project Description and Physical Environment)

20 Moving Forward as Partners on Environmental Matters Environmental Management Plans Reservoir Clearing Plan Describes the flooded areas in the reservoir that must be cleared of trees prior to impoundment and methods to do d so - Submitted: April 26, 2013 and in JKDA - Discussed in: Panel 3 and 4b (Project Description and Physical Environment)

21 Environmental Protection Program Environmental Environmental Environmental Monitoring i Plans Protection Management Plans Plans (EnvPPs) Sediment Management Technical Aboriginal Generating Fish Habitat Science Traditional Compensation Knowledge Access Management (ATK) Station South Access Road Heritage Resources Protection Vegetation Rehabilitation Terrestrial Mitigation Implementation Waterways Management Reservoir Clearing Physical Environment Aquatic Effects Terrestrial Effects Socio-Economic Resource Use Tataskweyak Cree Nation War Lake First Nation York Factory First Nation Fox Lake Cree Nation 21 21

22 Environmental Monitoring Plans Two-track Monitoring Process 22 22

23 Environmental Monitoring Plans Monitoring to test predictions and evaluate effectiveness of mitigation in reducing environmental and social effects Monitoring addresses areas where uncertainty exists including areas where there are differences between predictions based on technical science and ATK

24 Environmental Monitoring Plans Technical Science Monitoring Plans The 5 technical science plans have been drafted They follow-up on the VECs and supporting topics described in the EIS - Discussed in: Panels 4b, c and d - Physical Environment, Terrestrial Effects, Socio-economic, and Resource Use submitted in June Aquatic Effects submitted in August

25 Environmental Monitoring Plans ATK Monitoring Programs The Partner First Nations are currently developing community-specific ifi ATK monitoring i programs These ATK monitoring programs will be based on Cree perspectives and understandings about the potential effects of the Project

26 Environmental Monitoring Plans ATK Monitoring Programs ATK monitoring will involve the development and implementation of annual monitoring programs based on construction and/or operational activities i i and related community concerns about potential effects The results of the ATK monitoring will be an integral part of assessing the accuracy of predictions and the effectiveness of mitigation measures

27 Environmental Monitoring Plans Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Split Lake RMA Fox Lake RMA York Factory RMA Keeyask York Factory RMA War Lake Traditional Use Area 27 27

28 Adaptive Management, Monitoring Advisory Committee and Communication of Outcomes 28 28

29 Adaptive Management Mitigation measures have been Plan carefully planned to prevent or reduce adverse effects from the Project There can be uncertainties with predicted effects and the effectiveness of planned mitigation measures Adaptive management is a planned process responding to uncertainty or to an unanticipated or underestimated effect. Adjust (as necessary) (and hypothesize) Evaluate (and learn) Do (and monitor) 29 29

30 Adaptive Management Adaptive management will be applied when monitoring demonstrates t there is a variation between actual project effects and predicted effects Decision to be made: 1. Application of pre-determined adaptive measures 2. New measures designed based on monitoring results 3. A communication plan where no adaptive measures can be applied

31 Monitoring Advisory Committee (MAC) The MAC is an advisory committee to the KHLP Board of Directors MAC will have representatives from each of the Partner communities and Manitoba Hydro Will meet every 2 months during construction and will be in place for the life of the project Purpose is to provide oversight of the Environmental Protection Program

32 MAC MAC will provide effective oversight of Keeyask construction ti and operation The MAC has sufficient resources allocated to it to make it meaningful It will be flexible and adaptive Membership from the communities that are most affected by the Project MAC can raise concerns and recommendations to the KHLP Board

33 MAC and Adaptive Management MAC will provide the forum to discuss practical modifications to mitigation Review recommendations from technical experts and possibly regulatory agencies on the most appropriate course of action

34 Communication of Outcomes MAC is responsible for communicating the outcomes on an annual lbasis to Members of fthe Partner communities Communication to Partner communities through various forums, i.e. open houses A summary report of all Environmental Protection Program activities and results prepared annually by the KHLP for the Partner communities and the general public Report translated into Cree

35 Communication of Outcomes Manitoba Hydro (on behalf of KHLP) will submit reports to Regulators including: - Compliance monitoring report in connection with the EnvPPs - Technical reports of the activities and results of the monitoring i including the outcomes of both ATK and western science All reports will be posted on the Keeyask website

36 Summary The Partners have worked collaboratively for many years to assess the Project and to develop mitigation measures to minimize the adverse effects Participation and collaboration of all the Partners will continue throughout the life of the Project to implement a comprehensive Environmental Protection Program Both ATK and technical science will be used to assess and mitigate effects Through MAC the partners will oversee the Program and work together to protect the environment/askiy

37 George Neepin, Fox Lake Cree Nation 37 37

38 Victor Spence, Cree Nation Partners 38 38

39 Keeyask Generation Project CEC Hearings - Environmental Impact Statement t t Thank You 39