Cumulative Impacts of Mining Operations in northeast Minnesota

Transcription

1 Cumulative Impacts of Mining Operations in northeast Minnesota Nancy Schuldt, Fond du Lac Environmental Program Lake Superior Binational Program Mining Webinar Series: March 2009

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6 Recurring Issues Cumulative Impacts, including cultural resources Wetland acreage impacted; mitigation usually out of watershed Water quality permits: Few discharge limits Common WQ constituents not considered toxic but greatly exceed ambient Wild rice (wetland loss, hydrology, chemistry) Mercury impaired waters subsistence fishing, exercise of treaty rights Loss of access to treaty resources

7 Cumulative Impacts Wetland loss Water quality degradation Air quality degradation Wildlife corridors Aesthetics: noise, visibility, viewsheds Resource losses within ceded territories; mitigation outside

8 Cumulative Impacts: NEPA Section states: Cumulative impact is the impact on the environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (Federal or non- Federal) or person undertakes such other actions. Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time.

9 Tribal Concerns: Beyond the Mine Footprint Focus on ceded territories Steady erosion of environmental quality Steady loss of public lands

10 EPA support for tribal response Resources for tribal capacity-building Specialized training Regulatory review; clarification of regs and process FINAL PROTOCOL TO ASSESS EXPANDED CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ON NATIVE AMERICANS

11 What is it? GIS platform Layers of information, data are linked at the appropriate spatial scale (i.e., ceded territories) Can be constantly updated, refined Allow tribes to more quickly - and visually - present our perspective on cumulative impacts

12 Tribal Priorities Protecting high quality waters, including wild rice waters and important fisheries Plants, wildlife significant to tribes Sufficient populations, habitat to support treaty hunting, fishing, gathering Sacred locations (visual or noise impacts?) Cultural items as defined under NAGPRA

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15 Resource-specific tables: Table 1: Air Resources (Meteorology, Emissions and Air Quality) Table 2: Geologic Resources (Geologic Strata, paleontology, Soils) Table 3A: Water Resources (Groundwater and Open Surface Water, Water Quality, Floodplains) Table 3B: Wetlands Table 4: Vegetation (Grasslands, Shrublands, Deciduous Forests, Coniferous Forests) Table 5: Fish & Wildlife (Fish and Other Aquatic Species, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals) Table 6: Threatened/Endangered Species (Plants, Animals) Table 7: Archeology, Historic Properties, Traditional Cultural Properties and Uses) Table 8: Land Use (Specialized Uses (farmlands, sugarbushes, balsam gather lands), Ownership Patterns, Treaty Lands and Their Uses Table 9: Socioeconomics (Infrastructure, Population, Housing Services, Employment, Economy, Environmental Justice, noise, Aesthetics).

16 For each resource category: Characterization of affected environment Sources of information Assessment of potential impacts Sources of information Development of mitigation Sources of information

17 Multiple geographic scales: Expanded Cumulative Impacts Assessment Checklist for each resource category Project AOI (varies by resource) ROI (greater distance, includes other similar effects) Ex-ROI: Cumulative impacts across Mesabi Range

18 Benefits: Early collection of critical data, so projects not delayed because of missing information Money is spent efficiently filling data gaps, not repeatedly conducting the same kinds of surveys at each location Ideally, maintain critical tribal resources by restricting disturbance, promoting restoration

19 Next. Need funding to begin Need information from tribal members, staff Opportunity to work cooperatively, provide a consistent message to the regulators

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