4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ASSESSMENT APPROACH

Transcription

1 40 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ASSESSMENT APPROACH The Ontario Environmental Assessment Act requires an assessment of the potential environmental effects, description of impact management (mitigation measures, description of the net effects, and identification of the advantages/disadvantages of the alternatives and the Project on the environment The Project is subject to an Individual Environmental Assessment (EA under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act This section describes the general approach used to carry out the assessment of environmental effects predicted to occur as a result of the New Transmission Line to Pickle (the Project Detailed assessment parameters and results are documented in discipline-specific sections Section 50 addresses the physical environment, Section 60 addresses the biological environment, Section 70 addresses the socio-economic environment and Section 80 address Aboriginal Rights, Treaty Rights and Interests The approach for the assessment has been developed to satisfy regulatory requirements under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (EAA and is based on the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change s (MOECC Code of Practice: Preparing and Reviewing Environmental Assessments in Ontario (MOECC 2014, and the approved Amended Terms of Reference (ToR The approach has also taken into consideration the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry s (MNRF s Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves (MNRF 2005, and the Class Environmental Assessment for MNR Resource Stewardship and Facility Development Projects (MNRF 2003 The effects assessment approach is shown in Figure 40-1 and involves the following steps: describe the Project and alternative methods of carrying out the Project (Section 30; identify environmental criteria that may interact with the Project, and indicators to characterize changes to those criteria The criteria and indicators were confirmed through engagement with Aboriginal people, government agencies, and other interested parties (Section 41; define the spatial and temporal boundaries for the criteria (Section 42; describe the existing environment specific to each criterion in which the Project will be constructed and operated (Section 43; identify potential Project-environment interactions (Section 44; assess net effects (positive and negative (Section 45: Identify potential environmental effects (Section 451; identify impact management measures (Section 452; predict the net effects (Section 453; characterize the net effects (ie, after impact management measures of the Project on environmental criteria (Section 454; and determine the significance of the net effects (positive and adverse (Section 455 assess cumulative effects of the net effects in combination with other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable developments and activities, and determine their significance (Section 46; Project No

2 identify key factors influencing confidence in effects predictions and how uncertainty is managed so Project effects are not underestimated (Section 47; identify a monitoring framework that will be completed during construction and operation and maintenance stages to evaluate the effectiveness of impact management measures, verify predictions made in the environmental assessment (EA Report, address environmental issues identified during Project operation, and provide feedback for adaptive management (Section 48; and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of alternative methods of carrying out the Project and the Project vs Do Nothing alternatives (Section 49 The discipline sections (Sections 50 to 80 capture variations in methodology and details of each assessment step as a result of differences in the nature of potential effects of the Project for each discipline The following discipline sections are included in the EA: Section 51 Surface Water; Section 52 Groundwater; Section 53 Air Quality; Section 54 Climate Change; Section 55 Noise; Section 61 Vegetation and Wetlands; Section 62 Fish and Fish Habitat; Section 63 Wildlife; Section 71 Archaeological Resources; Section 72 Heritage Resources; Section 73 Socio-economics; Section 74 Non-Aboriginal Land and Resource Use; Section 75 Visual Aesthetics; Section 76 Human Health; and Section 80 Aboriginal and Treaty Rights and Interests Project No

3 Figure 40-1: Environmental Assessment Approach Project No

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5 41 Identify Criteria and Indicators Criteria are components of the environment that are considered to have economic, social, biological, conservation, aesthetic or cultural value (Beanlands and Duinker 1983 The assessment is focused on criteria that have physical, biological, or socio-economic importance, or importance to Aboriginal communities, and have the potential for change as a result of the Project The criteria were identified by the assessment team through a variety of means, including the following: engagement with Aboriginal communities and organizations; stakeholder engagement, including discussions with property owners, interest holders, and regulators; presence, abundance and distribution within, or relevance to, the area associated with the Project; potential for interaction with the Project and sensitivity to effects; species conservation status or concern; umbrella or keystone species with potential to represent a broad range of potential effects; uniqueness or rarity; likelihood of an indirect effect on an associated criterion (ie, a link exists between the affected criterion and another criterion, such as water quality affecting fish habitat; ecological and socio-economic value to Aboriginal communities, municipalities, stakeholders, government agencies, and the public; traditional, cultural and heritage importance to Aboriginal peoples; Aboriginal perspectives about the criteria selected for the assessment and raised during the course of the EA are identified in the discipline sections, primarily in the Input from Engagement tables; and have been included in the discipline-specific assessments Indicators represent properties of the physical, biological and socio-economic environments that can be used to characterize changes to criteria in a meaningful way; which is similarly defined in the Code of Practice Preparing and Review Environmental Assessments in Ontario as indicators that will identify how the potential environment effects will be measured for each criterion (MOECC 2014 An indicator can be described as an aspect or characteristic of a criterion that, if changed as a result of the Project, may demonstrate a physical, biological or socio-economic effect Indicators may be characterized quantitatively or qualitatively For example, quantitative assessment of predicted changes in ambient concentrations of particulate matter and decibels (db are some of indicators for air quality and noise, respectively In contrast, effects from changes in the movement and behaviour of wildlife and fish criteria are often expressed through qualitative assessment of alterations in habitat distribution and connectivity Employment, training opportunities, business revenue, service and infrastructure demand and capacity are some of the indicators of socio-economic criteria Quantitative changes in preferred harvested species and qualitative changes in, or restrictions to, preferred identified harvesting methods are some of the indicators that may be relevant to Aboriginal Rights, Treaty Rights or Interests The criteria selected to address the issues identified in relation to this Project, the rationale for their selection and their associated indicators are presented in Table 41-1 Some wildlife criteria are identified as surrogates for other wildlife species This is further discussed in Section 63 Wildlife Project No

6 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Surface Water (Section 51 Groundwater (Section 52 Air Quality (Section 53 Climate Change (Section 54 Criteria and Indicators Surface water Groundwater Air quality Greenhouse gases Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Represents the freshwater habitat for fish, aquatic organisms and aquatic vegetation Important for recreational use and aesthetics Important to fauna and flora abundance and diversity Important to human use (drinking water or other consumption Important component in the hydrologic cycle Important to human use (drinking water or other consumption Noise (Section 55 Noise Sensitivity of humans and wildlife(a to the noise environment Surface water quantity Surface water quality Groundwater quantity Qualitative assessment of changes to groundwater flow Groundwater quality Qualitative assessment of changes to groundwater quality Sensitivity of human health to air quality Predicted ambient concentrations of: Sensitivity of the environment (soils, plants, Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM animals to air quality Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM25 carbon monoxide (CO nitrogen dioxide (NO2 sulfur dioxide (SO2 Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change Predicted greenhouse gas emissions of CO2 Federal and provincial concerns with Predicted greenhouse gas emissions of N2O greenhouse gas emissions and climate change Predicted greenhouse gas emissions of CH4 Predicted noise levels Noise effects through annoyance to communities level (Leq, day Project construction related change in daytime equivalent noise level (L eq, day Project operation related one-hour equivalent noise level (Leq, 1 hour (day, night Project construction related daytime equivalent noise Project operation related change in one-hour equivalent noise level (Leq, 1 hour (day, night Project No

7 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Vegetation and Wetlands (Section 61 Vegetation and Wetlands (Section 61 Vegetation and Wetlands (Section 61 Criteria and Indicators Upland ecosystems Riparian ecosystems Wetlands Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Main component of the naturally-occurring vegetation in the study areas Basis for many local biological processes Habitat for wildlife Assessment is applicable to most wildlife species (including upland breeding water birds Aboriginal current community use of vegetation associated with this ecosystem Conservation concern (limited distribution Social importance Sensitive to development Performs hydrologic functions Ecosystem and landscape level biodiversity Assessment is applicable to most wildlife species with respect to providing regional movement corridors Aboriginal current community use of vegetation associated with this ecosystem Conservation concern and sensitivity to development High aesthetic value and social importance Ecosystem and landscape level biodiversity Performs hydrologic and biochemical cycling functions Assessment is applicable to wetland-dependent wildlife species (eg, caribou, moose, beaver, marsh birds, amphibians and snapping turtle Aboriginal current community use of vegetation associated with this ecosystem Ecosystem availability Ecosystem distribution Ecosystem composition Ecosystem availability Ecosystem distribution Ecosystem composition Ecosystem availability Ecosystem distribution Ecosystem composition Project No

8 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Fish and Fish Habitat (Section 62 Fish and Fish Habitat (Section 62 Fish and Fish Habitat (Section 62 Criteria and Indicators Brook Trout Trout Walleye Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Stringent habitat requirements (eg, cold water and is sensitive to disturbance Representative recreational species for cold water fish and fish habitat Important recreational (catch and release harvested species Fall spawning species that primarily spawn in watercourse habitat with gravel substrates Relatively common in watercourses in the fish and fish habitat LSAs Stringent habitat requirements (eg, cold water lakes and is sensitive to disturbance Representative recreational harvested species for cold water lake fish and fish habitat Important recreational (catch and release and harvested species Fall spawning species that primarily spawn in rocky shoal habitat in lakes Representative recreational species for cool and warm water lake and large waterbody fish and fish habitat Spring spawning species that spawn in lakes or larger watercourses with coarse substrates Important recreational (catch and release and harvested species Prevalent in lakes and watercourses in the LSAs Habitat quantity Habitat quality Abundance Distribution Habitat quantity Habitat quality Abundance Distribution Habitat quantity Habitat quality Abundance Distribution Project No

9 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Fish and Fish Habitat (Section 62 Criteria and Indicators Sturgeon Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Sturgeon in the Nelson River(a watershed are listed as Endangered under the federal COSEWIC (2016 and as Threatened under the provincial Endangered Species Act, 2007 (Government of Ontario 2007 under the Species at Risk in Ontario list (Government of Ontario 2016 Sturgeon in the Southwest Hudson Bay(b watershed are listed as Special Concern under the federal COSEWIC (2016 and the provincial Endangered Species Act (Government of Ontario 2007 under the Species at Risk in Ontario list (Government of Ontario 2016 Sturgeon in the Great s Upper St Lawrence watershed are listed as Threatened under the federal COSEWIC (2016 and the provincial Endangered Species Act (Government of Ontario 2007 under the Species at Risk in Ontario list (Government of Ontario 2016 Less prevalent in the LSAs compared to the species above, but are a concern from a regulatory perspective Primarily inhabit lakes and move into large watercourses in spring to spawn Long-lived sensitive fish species that are vulnerable to habitat loss and overharvest Habitat quantity Habitat quality Abundance Distribution Project No

10 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Criteria and Indicators Wildlife (Section 63 Forest-dwelling woodland caribou Wildlife (Section 63 Moose Wildlife (Section 63 Wolverine Wildlife (Section 63 Little brown myotis Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Federally and provincially listed Important ecological role Social/cultural importance Relies on large areas of well-connected mature coniferous forest and bog-fen habitats Considered an umbrella species to support conservation of other wildlife and regional biodiversity Social/cultural importance Large source of protein and energy for large carnivores and scavengers in boreal forest environments Increase in moose density could negatively affect woodland caribou populations by increasing carnivore density Federally and provincially listed Can be attracted to human disturbance (eg, garbage and negatively influenced by human-caused mortality Wide ranging carnivore species in boreal environments Surrogate species for effects to other furbearers (marten and lynx Federally and provincially listed Surrogate species for effects to northern myotis Dependent on standing dead and live trees for maternity roosts in mature deciduous and mixed stands Hibernacula may be limited Represents a species that requires open forest/edge habitat in wetter areas Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Project No

11 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Criteria and Indicators Wildlife (Section 63 Horned grebe Wildlife (Section 63 Bald eagle Wildlife (Section 63 Canada warbler Wildlife (Section 63 Barn swallow Wildlife (Section 63 Eastern whip-poor-will Wildlife (Section 63 Common nighthawk Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Federally and provincially listed Surrogate species for effects to black tern, which is listed as Special Concern provincially, and other wetland nesting species (eg, yellow rail Provincially listed Social/cultural importance Breeding habitat is limited Sensitive to noise and human activity during nesting As a top avian predator can be a keystone species Surrogate for effects to other piscivorous raptor species (eg, osprey Federally and provincially listed Threatened by habitat loss Representative of coniferous, deciduous, moist mixed forest and regenerating habitats Federally and provincially listed Aerial insectivore that nests on human-made structures such as buildings and bridges Federally and provincially listed Important for continued ecological function of boreal ecosystems Threatened by habitat loss and degradation Representative of open forest/edge habitat in drier deciduous and coniferous habitats Federally and provincially listed Representative of open forest/edge habitats Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat availability Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Project No

12 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Criteria and Indicators Wildlife (Section 63 Olive-sided flycatcher Archaeological resources (Section 71 Heritage resources (Section 72 Socio-economic (Section 73 Socio-economic (Section 73 Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Archaeological resources Built heritage and cultural heritage landscapes Labour market Regional economy Federally and provincially listed species Surrogate of coniferous forest, edges and openings near meadows and ponds Archaeological remains are a non-renewable resource that could be affected by Project activities Archaeological resources may have spiritual and/or cultural importance to First Peoples and Canadians Archaeological sites are protected under the Ontario Heritage Act Built heritage remains are a non-renewable resource that could be affected by Project activities Cultural heritage landscapes are a nonrenewable resource that could be affected by Project activities Heritage resources and landscapes may have spiritual and symbolic meaning for First Peoples and Canadians Cultural heritage resources and landscapes are protected under the Ontario Heritage Act Project workforce hiring and procurement could affect employment, income, and training Project procurement of materials, goods, and services during construction could affect business revenues Habitat availability Habitat distribution Survival and reproduction Number, type and location of known archaeological resources Area of archaeological potential Area of marine archaeological potential Number, type and location of identified and potential built heritage resources and cultural heritage landscapes Employment Quantitative assessment of changes in employment income Quantitative assessment of changes in labour income Training opportunities Qualitative assessment of training opportunities Business contracting opportunities Business revenues Quantitative assessment of changes business goods and services supply revenues Project No

13 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Socio-economic (Section 73 Socio-economic (Section 73 Socio-economic (Section 73 Socio-economic (Section 73 Criteria and Indicators Government finances Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Housing and temporary accommodation Services and Infrastructure Includes: emergency and health services; water, waste, energy infrastructure; and transportation Community wellbeing Project payment of taxes could affect local government and Provincial government revenues Services and infrastructure to support Project construction could be sourced from non-aboriginal communities and regional districts, potentially affecting local government expenditures Project requirements for non-camp based accommodation for construction workforce and/or suppliers during construction may result in increased demand for temporary accommodation Local / Regional Government Expenditures Qualitative assessment of changes to local / regional government expenditures on the Project Government taxation revenues Quantitative assessment of changes to taxation revenues Population change - Quantitative assessment of change in population due to project-induced inmigration Housing demand Qualitative and quantitative assessment of change in demand for housing and temporary accommodation Housing supply Qualitative and quantitative assessment of change in housing and temporary accommodation availability (supply Project construction activities may lead to a Population change - Quantitative assessment of temporary increase in demand for services and change in population due to project-induced inmigration infrastructure Access to and quality of services are important Service and infrastructure demand Quantitative and to quality of life health and wellbeing of residents qualitative assessment of changes in demand for and visitors services and infrastructure Services and infrastructure capacity Quantitative and qualitative change in service and infrastructure and capacity Potential for nuisance effects on nearby Nuisance Quantitative assessment of nuisance receptors from Project-induced changes to noise effects resulting from changes in noise and air quality and air quality Potential for Project activities to affect public safety during construction Public Safety Qualitative assessment of change in public safety due to potential hazards associated with the Project Project No

14 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Non-Traditional land and resource use (Section 74 Non- Traditional land and resource use (Section 74 Non- Traditional land and resource use (Section 74 Criteria and Indicators Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Parks and protected areas Outdoor tourism and recreational land and resource use, including: Hunting, trapping, fishing and guide outfitting Other outdoor tourism and recreation Commercial industry land and resource use (eg, mining and aggregate, forestry, agriculture Parks and protected areas have social, recreational, environmental and health and wellbeing value for nearby communities and park users Outdoor recreation and recreational amenities are valued aspects of the region, and contribute to health and wellbeing Recreational land and resource uses have socio-economic importance to the local residents, businesses, communities and government Consumptive land and resource use, nonconsumptive commercial recreation, and commercial industry are an important part of the local economy and source of economic livelihoods for local businesses Commercial land and resource have socioeconomic importance to the local residents, businesses, communities and government Land use quantity Quantitative assessment of change in area and access of land use Land use quality Quantitative and qualitative assessment of change in environmental conditions (eg air quality, noise, water quality, visual aesthetics and change in park users experience Natural, cultural and recreational values qualitative assessment of change to natural, cultural and recreational values within parks and protected areas Land use quantity Quantitative assessment of change in area and access to land uses Land use quality Quantitative and qualitative assessment of change in environmental conditions (eg air quality, noise, water quality, visual aesthetics and changes to consumptive and non-consumptive users experience Hunting, trapping and fishing harvest levels (due to resource availability Land use quantity Quantitative assessment of change in area and access to land uses Resource availability Quantitative and qualitative assessment of change in availability of commercial industry resources (eg, timber and agriculture Project No

15 Table 41-1: Environmental, Social or Cultural Component Visual aesthetics (Section 75 Human health (Section 76 Aboriginal and Treaty Rights and Interests (Section 80 Criteria and Indicators Visual quality Human health Criteria Rationale for Selection Indicators Aboriginal and Treaty Rights and Interests (as identified through engagement, Treaties, and other methods Visual quality provides a setting for land and resource use activities (ie, outdoor tourism and recreation and are important to the quality of experience that are involved in these activities Visual quality is important to the identification of community character and to community wellbeing The health of individuals is important to the wellbeing of families and communities Different members of communities may have different characteristics (eg, occupancy, use of land and consumption of resources which may result in different exposures and health risks Aboriginal Rights, Treaty Rights and Interests, and current use of lands and resources are important for Aboriginal communities and individuals Visibility of the Project from key viewpoints (area of visibility in hectares to determine the visual prominence of Project components and activities Visual contrast of the Project relative to the existing landscape - compatibility of the Project with the existing landscape (qualitative description of contrast to determine the level of change to landscape character and visual quality Human health risks: Potential human health risks from exposure to environmental media are quantified, via a Human Health Risk Assessment (Appendix 76A, using hazard quotients [HQs] for non-carcinogenic chemicals and incremental lifetime cancer risks [ILCRs] for carcinogenic chemicals Potential human health risks from exposure to noise from the project are quantified using percent highly annoyed level (%HA Qualitative review of changes in, or restrictions on, preferred harvesting methods Quantitative changes in preferred harvested species Quantity and quality of cultural use locations and access routes where use of or access to those locations is changed Qualitative changes in the experience of lands and resources for cultural purposes Notes: a Effects of noise on w ildlife are addressed in Section 63 Wildlife CAC = Criteria Air Contaminant; CH4 = methane; CO2 = carbon dioxide; db = decibel, GHG = greenhouse gases; LSA = local study area; MTCS = Ontario Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport; N2O= nitrous oxide; PM25 = particles less than 25 μg in diameter; PM10 = particles less than 10 μg in diameter; POR = Point of Reception; TSP = Total Suspended Particles;%HA = percent highly annoyed Project No

16 42 Define Assessment Boundaries The EA includes spatial boundaries and temporal boundaries associated with the net effects and cumulative effects assessments, which are discussed below 421 Spatial Boundaries This EA has adopted a multi-scale approach for describing baseline conditions (existing environment and predicting effects from the Project, because the responses of different criteria to natural and human-induced disturbance will be unique and will occur across different scales Spatial boundaries define the geographic extent within which the potential environmental effects of the Project are considered As such, these spatial boundaries define the study areas for the effects assessment The following study areas are used to capture the potential direct and indirect effects of the Project on each criterion, as well as to understand the context in which the effects can occur: Project footprint established to identify areas of direct disturbance (ie, the physical area required for Project construction and operation The Project footprint includes the 40-metre (m-wide transmission line alignment right-of-way (ROW, connection facility at Ignace, temporary laydown areas, turn-around areas, staging areas, temporary construction camps, and access roads or trails (temporary and permanent Local study area (LSA is meant to encompass the area where most effects of the Project are likely to be measurable; and therefore the focus of data collection to characterize the existing environment The LSA for most disciplines includes the 2-kilometre (km-wide corridor where most of the Project components are expected to be located and therefore most of the direct Project effects are expected to occur There are some Project components outside of the 2-km-wide corridor, such as access roads or trails (temporary and permanent, and the LSAs have been extended to include these areas Regional study area (RSA includes areas outside of the LSA used to measure broader-scale existing environment conditions, and provide regional context for the maximum predicted geographic extent of direct and indirect effects from the Project (eg, changes to downstream water quality, caribou ranges, or changes to economy, including regional employment and incomes Cumulative effects from the Project in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable developments are typically assessed at this larger spatial scale Where study areas are adjusted to reflect the assessment of specific criteria, the modifications are discussed in the discipline assessments (Sections 50 to 80 The study areas were selected to characterize existing environmental conditions and predict the direct and indirect changes from the Project on criteria on a continuum of increasing spatial scales from the Project footprint to broader, regional levels The selection of study areas also considered the physical and biological properties of criteria Study areas were also designed to capture the maximum spatial extent of potential effects from the Project and other previous, existing, and RFDs Effects from the Project on the environment are typically stronger at the local scale, while larger-scale effects are more likely to result from other ecological factors and human activities It should be noted that all local environmentally sensitive features available from baseline field studies and data gathered through other sources were included in the assessment under the relevant study areas for each criterion Project No

17 422 Temporal Boundaries The EA was designed to evaluate the short- and long-term changes from the Project and associated effects on the environment In some cases, Project activities may overlap For example, following construction, temporary laydown areas and some access roads will be decommissioned, and reclamation and re-vegetation (human facilitated and natural will occur during operation Development of the Project is planned to occur in two stages: Construction stage: the period from the start of construction to the start of operations Operation and maintenance stage: encompasses operation and maintenance activities throughout the life of the Project The construction stage is scheduled to begin in late 2018 on receipt of required permits and approvals The Project in-service date is planned for Q At the time of decommissioning or retirement of the Project, it is expected that Wataynikaneyap will review and consider current options, issues and regulatory requirements, in engagement with Aboriginal communities and groups, and stakeholders with an interest in the proposed works The approvals necessary from applicable authorities will be obtained before future decommissioning and retirement activities are initiated Where relevant, the potential for effects to continue beyond the anticipated life of the Project are identified Although generally based on the planned stages described above, the final selection of temporal boundaries is criteria-specific and further detail can be found in Sections 50 through 70 For some criterion, the assessment is completed for those stages of the Project where predicted effects are expected to occur (eg, noise effects will primarily occur during construction stage Temporal variation in potential effects associated with different criterion (eg, annual or seasonal changes in water flow or habitat use, or trends over time in populations and employment is also considered Similarly, the temporal boundaries identified for cumulative effects assessments are specific to the criteria being assessed Temporal boundaries include the duration of net effects from previous and existing developments that overlap with net effects of the Project, and the period during which the net effects from reasonably foreseeable developments will overlap with net effects from the Project Further detail on the temporal boundaries associated with cumulative effects can be found below, and in the discipline-specific sections 43 Describe the Existing Environment The existing environment represents existing conditions including cumulative changes associated with past and present developments (eg, forestry, transportation, municipal, residential and recreational development and natural factors (eg, fire, disease and insects for each criterion For assessment purposes, the baseline characterization represents conditions in 2016 A description of the existing environment is completed for all the environmental criterion to provide context for determining the potential effects as a result of the Project The environmental baseline is the basis for determining the likely environmental effects associated with the Project Documentation of existing baseline conditions also serves as a benchmark for the post-construction monitoring program Project No

18 The study methods, specific data sources, and the existing environment in which the Project will be constructed and operated are described in detail in Sections 50, 60, and 70, along with the results of field surveys completed in support of the effects assessment Field surveys, where undertaken, are generally focused on characterizing existing conditions in the LSA The rationale and management of uncertainty related to baseline field data gaps and limitations is provided in discipline-specific sections Literature reviews were generally used to characterize existing conditions in the RSA The baseline information used to describe the existing environment was compiled using the following sources: review of available topographic and resource maps, aerial imagery, databases, scientific papers, technical reports, publicly available government documents and websites, information letters, and fact sheets; data and information provided by regulatory agencies, such as the MNRF; discipline-specific surveys; environmental assessment reports and regulatory applications prepared for other projects in the area; and engagement with Aboriginal communities and groups, local land users, property owners, representatives from local and regional governments, provincial and federal regulatory agencies, non-governmental organizations, general public; and other stakeholders that provided input 44 Identify Project-Environment Interactions Potential Project-environment interactions are identified through a review of the Project Description and existing environmental conditions This review focuses the assessment on possible interactions between the criteria and the Project within the identified spatial and temporal boundaries Relevant Project works and activities are analyzed individually to determine if there is a plausible mechanism for an effect on each criterion during Project construction and operation The analyses were informed by professional judgement and experience with regard to the physical and operational features of the Project and their potential for interaction with the environment The results are summarized in a matrix illustrating where there is potential for the Project to interact with each criterion and result in environmental effects Separate matrices or Project-environmental interactions tables for each criteria were developed The interactions identified were then used to focus the description of the existing environment and the assessment and impact management measures of potential Project effects in Sections 50 through Assess Net Effects A step-wise process was used to assess the environmental effects of the Project in a systematic and transparent manner once the relevant Project works and activities and their interactions, assessment boundaries, and relevant environmental criteria and indicators were identified The net effects assessment method included the following steps: Identification of potential environmental effects; Identification of technically and economically feasible impact management measures; Prediction of net effects following implementation of impact management measures; and Evaluation of the predicted net effects (ie, describe and determine the magnitude, duration, extent, frequency, and significance of the predicted net effects Project No

19 451 Identifying Potential Effects The net effects assessment considers the potential interactions between the Project components and activities and the criteria within the identified spatial and temporal boundaries These project-environment interactions can result in environmental effects, that are defined as the effect that a proposed undertaking or its alternatives has or could potentially have on the environment, either positive or negative, direct or indirect, short- or long-term Potential effects of the Project on criteria were determined by comparing baseline conditions to those expected to result from the construction and operation and maintenance of the Project Potential effects were described for each criterion, including an indication of whether they are expected to be direct (ie, as a result of a Project component or activity affecting a criterion, or indirect (ie, as a result of a change to one criterion affecting another criterion 452 Identify Technically and Economically Feasible Impact Management Measures Once potential effects are identified, technically and economically feasible impact management measures to avoid and minimize potential adverse effects are identified for all Project stages Refinements to these measures may be made as potential effects are identified, as cumulative effects assessment is conducted, and as the Project proceeds Impact management measures are described in detail in Sections 50 through 80, with reference to the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP; Section 90, other regulatory requirements, and industry standard practices to be implemented Impact management measures were developed for the Project based on: expertise of the Project team; best management practices; applicable agency requirements and guidance; Wataynikaneyap environmental and social management plans; and feedback received as part of the engagement program It is understood that impact management measures are not 100% effective; therefore Wataynikaneyap will implement compliance monitoring and effects monitoring during the Project stages, as identified in Section 951 (Monitoring and the monitoring and review of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP as discussed in Section 95 of the ESMP Wataynikaneyap will implement an adaptive management strategy based on the results of the compliance and effects monitoring and monitoring and review of the ESMP Impact management measures will be provided in contract specifications to be adhered to by Wataynikaneyap with their contractors 453 Predict the Net Effects A net effect is an environmental or socio-economic effect of a project and related activities that is predicted to remain after the application of impact management measures (MOECC 2014 A potential effect is considered to occur where anticipated future conditions resulting from the Project differ from the conditions otherwise expected from natural change In some situations, the recommended impact management measures will eliminate a potential negative effect, while in other situations impact management measures will lessen, but not eliminate the effect Impact management measures may also enhance positive effects A potential effect that will be eliminated, or considered unlikely after impact management measures, is identified as not resulting in a net effect (ie, no net Project No

20 effect and is not considered further in the net effects assessment An effect that may remain after the application of feasible impact management measures is identified as a net effect and is further considered in the effects assessment Positive effects are also considered further in the effects assessment Neutral changes are not carried forward for the characterization of net effects Where effects are identified as neutral, they are characterized in terms of the confidence in the predictions and the likelihood of the effect 454 Characterize the Net Effects Predicted net effects, where identified, are described in terms of the following significance factors (MNRF 2003, MNRF 2005: Direction; Magnitude; Geographic extent; Duration/Reversibility; Frequency; and Likelihood of Occurrence Context may also be relevant when describing a net effect on biological and socio-economic criteria Ecological context relates to the potential for environmental effects to cause disruption of ecological functions in relation to the receiving environment, which may be ecologically fragile with little resilience to imposed stresses or may be already adversely affected by human activities Socio-economic context is also helpful in understanding the ability of the environment to absorb and adapt to further stresses from the Project Where relevant, ecological or socio-economic context is discussed in the description of net effects The concept of ecological context is similar to MNRF s significance factor of Value of the Feature or Situation Affected (MNRF 2003 An effort is made to express expected changes quantitatively / numerically For example, the magnitude (intensity of the effect may be expressed in absolute or percentage values above (or below baseline conditions or a guideline value The duration (which includes reversibility of the effect may be described in years relative to the stages of development of the Project, and the spatial extent of effects is typically expressed in area or distance from the Project In addition, the direction, frequency, reversibility, and prediction confidence of effects are characterized Due to the amount and type of data available, some assessment is necessarily qualitative, and includes professional judgement or experienced opinion The definition of effect levels can vary from one criterion to another, recognizing that the units and range of measurement are distinct for each The significance factors used to describe a predicted net effect are defined in Table 45-1 The significance factors are considered in combination to assess the importance of an adverse net effect on a criterion For some criteria, specific significance factors were also applied (eg, criteria-specific definitions for magnitude In such cases, the specific significance factors definitions are provided within the criteria-specific assessments in Sections 50, 60, and 70 If the effects assessment indicates that the Project may contribute to significant effects, then additional impact management measures may be identified and implemented (Section 46 Project No

21 Table 45-1: Definitions of Significance Factors Used to Characterize Predicted Net Effects on Criteria Effects Characteristic Direction Magnitude Geographic extent Duration/ reversibility Frequency Likelihood of occurrence Notes: Definition The direction of change in the effect relative to the current value or state Magnitude is the intensity of the effect or a measure of the degree of change from existing (baseline conditions expected to occur in the criterion Geographic extent refers to the spatial area over which an effect will occur/can be detected (distance covered or range Duration is the period of time over which the environmental effect will be present The amount of time between the start and end of an activity or stressor (which relates to Project development stages, plus the time required for the effect to be reversed Duration and reversibility are functions of the length of time a criterion is exposed to activities Reversibility is an indicator of the potential for recovery of the criterion from an effect Reversible implies that the effect will not influence the criterion at a future predicted period in time For effects that are permanent, the effect is determined to be irreversible Frequency refers to the occurrence of the environmental effect over time Discussions on seasonal considerations are made when they are important in the evaluation of the effect Probability of occurrence is a measure of the likelihood that an activity will result in an environmental effect LSA = local study area; RSA = regional study area Description Positive net gain or positive effect Neutral no change Negative net loss or adverse effect To be defined by each discipline assessment Project footprint effect is limited to the direct physical disturbance from the Project Local the effect is confined to the LSA, but outside of the Project footprint Regional the effect extends beyond the LSA boundary, but is confined within the RSA Beyond regional the effect extends beyond the RSA boundary Short-term the effect is reversible before the end of construction Medium-term the effect occurs during construction and/or operation and maintenance and is reversible soon after operation begins Long-term the effect occurs during construction and/or operation maintenance and persists into operations, but is reversible Permanent the effect occurs during construction and/or operation and maintenance and is irreversible Infrequent the effect is expected to occur rarely Frequent (or periodic the effect is expected to occur intermittently Continuous the effect is expected to occur continually Unlikely the effect is not likely to occur Possible the effect may occur, but is not likely Probable the effect is likely to occur Certain the effect will occur Project No

22 455 Assess the Significance of Net Effects The MNRF s Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves (MNRF 2005, and the Class Environmental Assessment for MNR Resource Stewardship and Facility Development Projects (MNRF 2003 require the assessment of significance of environmental effects and provide guidance for assessing the significance of potential environmental effects under individual criteria, for the project as a whole, and for alternatives It includes factors that may be applied in assessing the significance of effects, as presented in Section 554, and a series of considerations that should be taken into account in applying them (eg, concerns of interested agencies, groups and individuals In addition to the Class EA guidance, the determination of significance of net effects and cumulative effects from the Project and other previous, existing, and RFDs generally follows the guidelines and principles of the guide Determining Whether a Project is Likely to Cause Significant Adverse Environmental Effects (FEARO 1994, and the Operational Policy Statement: Determining Whether a Designated Project is Likely to Cause Significant Adverse Environmental Effects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEA Agency 2015 and Draft Technical Guidance Determining Whether a Designated Project is Likely to Cause Significant Adverse Environmental Effects under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEA Agency 2017a These documents identify several possible methods for the determination of whether residual or net effects are significant, including the use of established environmental standards, guidelines, or objectives in relation to likely residual effects, as well as quantitative and qualitative assessment of the effects The assessment of significance of negative and positive net effects applies to each criterion, and was classified as significant or not significant (ie, binary response Maintaining the integrity of ecological, biological and social criteria is based on an understanding of the functioning of natural or socio-economic systems Ecological and socio-economic principles (ie, ecological or socio-economic context such as natural cycles, interdependence and networks, and diversity and resilience are considered throughout the effects assessment and specifically in assessing the significance of an identified effect on a biological or socio-economic resource The concept of ecological context is similar to MNRF s significance factor of Value of the Feature or Situation Affected (MNRF 2003 The assessment of significance involves the professional judgment of experienced specialists The extent to which the professional experience of the EA team was used in the assessment of significance is described in Sections 6 through 21 of the EA The EA team is comprised of technical specialists with experience collecting data and assessing environmental and socio-economic effects for numerous projects in Ontario, and across Canada The team understands the Project scope, the landscape, environmental sensitivities, communities and types of environmental and socio-economic issues commonly encountered across northern Ontario, and those specific to this Project during construction and operation and maintenance Based on the application of significance criteria, a significance conclusion is made for each criterion The possible significance conclusions are defined in Table 45-2 Project No

23 Table 45-2: Definitions of the Significance Assessment of Net Effects on Criteria Significance Definition Biophysical and Cultural Criteria Not significant Significant Socio-economic Criteria Not significant Significant The effects may be detectable, but are not predicted to result in a change that will alter the sustainability of the criteria beyond a manageable level The effects result in changes that are in accordance with and within provincial and federal guidelines and thresholds and do not require actions such as monitoring or recovery initiatives The effect is measurable and is predicted to result in a change to the criteria that will alter its sustainability beyond a manageable level The effects result in changes that are not in accordance with provincial and federal guidelines nor within defined regulatory thresholds and many require actions such as research, monitoring, or recovery initiatives The effect is measurable at the individual, family, or community level, and strong enough to be detectable at the population level, but is not expected to result in substantial change in the well-being of defined populations and communities The effect is clearly distinguishable and can result in strong interest or concern, or results in substantial change in the well-being of defined populations and communities Additional details on the approach and methods for characterizing net effects and determining significance for criteria and criteria-specific definitions of significance are provided in Sections 50 through Assess Cumulative Effects In addition to assessing the incremental net environmental effects of the Project itself, this assessment also evaluates and assesses the significance of net effects from the Project that overlap temporally and spatially with effects from all other past, present and reasonably foreseeable developments and activities The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEA Agency describes cumulative effects as the sum of net effects from all past, current and reasonably foreseeable socio-economic components of the environment (Hegmann et al 1999 projects or activities on the physical, biological, cultural and The MNRF s Class EAs (MNRF 2003, MNRF 2005 describes cumulative environmental effects as the total effect on the environment within the defined study area from two or more projects Sometimes the effects of more than one project can accumulate so that they reach a critical threshold, or they can be compounded so that they create an effect that is greater than the sum of the individual effects The Class EAs indicates that consideration should be given to whether the environment affected by the project is undergoing change as a result of other projects or activities, and likewise, where there is potential for significant cumulative effects, this should be considered in defining study areas for a project evaluation Therefore, the cumulative effects assessment recognizes that while each single land-use change may result in a relatively small effect or change, the accumulation of these changes over time and space could cause a significant effect The aim is to assess the interaction of these individual developments to determine how a given project will influence not only the Project footprint or area, but the entire region over time Project No