ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPROACH

Environmental Assessment Approach

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPROACHCariboo Gold Project

Presented by:

Kourtney Bradley

Team Lead Ecology and Environmental Impact

Assessment, WSP

BARKERVILLE GOLD MINES LTD.


What is an Environmental Assessment?

Who is Working on the EA?

◆ A process to identify, predict and evaluate the potential environmental and social-economic effects of a project

◆ Follows a standard (such as BC EAA 2018)

◆ Key Items:

1. Identify project effects and provide mitigation measures to minimize those effects

2. Identify residual effects that may remain after mitigation measures applied

3. Based on the significance of these residual effects, should a project be approved?

◆ Team of environmental professionals with EA experience in BC

◆ Includes:

• Biologists, Engineers, Social Scientists, GIS Specialists, Planners, Regulatory Specialists, Project Managers

◆ Specialists in each discipline author components of the EA

The comprehensive document summarizing the findings of the environmental assessment can be thousands of pages long

The Cariboo Gold Project will be reviewed at the Provincial level, following the BC Environmental Assessment Act

Technical specialists author specific components of the Environmental Assessment according to their field of expertise. Our professionals are authorized to practice in British Columbia


What Does an EA Include?

How Do You Do It?

Project Description

◆ Proponent

◆ Activities

◆ Location

Effects Assessment

◆ Existing conditions

◆ Potential project effects

◆ Mitigation measures

Regulatory Framework

◆ EA

◆ Permitting

Cumulative Effects

◆ Past, present and future projects

Engagement

◆ Indigenous nations

◆ Public

◆ Local governments

Technical Data Reports

◆ Support Information

Methodology

◆ Valued Components

◆ Assessment

Each discipline (eg. Wildlife, Air Quality, Noise) will have a specific chapter devoted to it, and will include a detailed assessment

Summary of the different sections included in an EA

Basic project processProject Definition

•Define parameters of project

•Early design•Alternatives analysis

Baseline Studies

•Collect data to determine what the conditions are before the project

Effects Assessment

•Apply project to predict effects

•Mitigation•Cumulative Effects

Regulatory Review

•Regulator•Indigenous nations

•Stakeholder and public comments

Approval

•Conditions•Permitting

Engagement

◆ Follows a defined process

◆ Involves a lot of effort over several years

◆ Project definition and baseline studies often overlap and are iterative


Project Definition

◆ What is the Project?

• Define the project in time and space

• Design directly influences these two parameters

Temporal space vs physical space

Time

◆ Project Phases

• Construction

• Operations

• Decommissioning

• Closure and Reclamation

◆ Different durations and activities for each phase

Space

◆ “Footprint”

◆ Physical space the project will occupy

◆ This can change depending on the project phase

◆ Permanent or temporary

Constructability

Cost

Environmental

Feasibility

Indigenous nations

Permitting

Public comments

Schedule

Social

Alternatives Analysis

◆ Ongoing process as project is defined

◆ Look at different ways of doing the project

• Key decisions – open pit vs underground?

• Location – advantages/disadvantages of where the project is

• Technology – different process methods

◆ Multi-criteria assessment

• Evaluate the project under many criteria to select optimal alternative

• Trade-offs?

Criteria


Engagement

Baseline (Existing Conditions)

◆ Key input to the effects assessment

◆ Projects should have frequent and on-going engagement with Indigenous nations, the public and stakeholders

◆ Proponent provides project details to gain feedback

◆ Identify issues and concerns

◆ This feeds into all aspects of the Project

• Design/engineering, baseline studies, valued components, mitigation etc.

◆ Conditions prior to project development

◆ Snapshot in time and space

◆ Biophysical and Social Disciplines

◆ Multi-year, multi-season studies

◆ Studies follow standard methodology

◆ Study area related to Project “footprint”

◆ Technical Data Reports

Alternatives are analyzed and evaluated to create the best possible outcome. Site-selection is an example of where Alternative Analysis plays a key role

Alternatives are analyzed and evaluated to create the best possible outcome. Site-selection is an example of where Alternative Analysis plays a key role


Cariboo Gold Baseline Studies

Discipline Data CollectionAir Quality • Ongoing Dustfall Monitoring

• 2016/2017 PM10 and metals• 2016 install of meteorological station Mine Site, 2018 install at

QR Mill

Noise • Baseline monitoring in 2018• Additional data in Wells collected in 2019

Light • Baseline monitoring 2018 in Wells, Barkerville, Highway 26 communities and campgrounds

Hydrology • Regional hydrometric stations• Historic information from 2000, 2006 to 2010, 2011 to 2016• Project data collected 2017 to 2020

Water Quality • Historic information from 2000-2001, 2004 to 2005• Routine operational monitoring since 2011• Project data collected from 2015 to 2019

Hydrogeology • Historic information 2002, 2010, 2011• Project information 2017 to ongoing

Fish and Fish Habitat

• Historic information 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005• Project information 2016 to 2020

Soils • Data collected in 2016 to 2018

Visual Quality • Data collected in 2018 to 2020

Discipline Data CollectionGeochemistry • Testing in 2018

Vegetation • Data collected in 2016, 2018, 2019 to 2020

Wildlife • Terrestrial surveys 2016 to 2019• Northern Transmission line – wildlife cameras and wildlife winter

tracking in 2020

Contaminated Sites

• Phase I ESA – 2016• Phase II ESA – 2017• QR Mill Phase I ESA 2019

Human Health • Data collected 2016, 2018 to 2020

Socio-Economics

• Interviews conducted 2019 to 2020

Land Use • Data collected 2019 to 2020

Current Use • TLUOS submitted in 2019 by Lhtako Dene First Nation• TLUOS from Soda Creek Indian Band and Williams Lake First

Nation – 2020

Archaeology and HeritageResources

• Data collected in 2018• Further information collected in 2019 to 2020

Studies relating to the Cariboo Gold Project. Most studies have now been completed, but some will continue into 2021

Valued Components

◆ Element of the biophysical or socio-economic environment that are considered to have importance

• Scientific, ecological, economic, social, cultural, archaeological, historical etc.

◆ Evaluated for selection:

• Can the potential effects of the project on the VC be measured and monitored?

• Can the potential effects on the candidate VC be effectively considered with the assessment of another VC?

• Is the information about the candidate VC needed to support the assessment of potential effects on another VC?

Presence

Interaction

Rare or listed species

Sensitive to disturbance

Indigenous interests

Legislation

Cumulative effects

Public or stakeholder concern

Criteria


Valued ComponentsThese are valued components identified by the community so far, taken from community sessions in 2019. This is helping to inform the Effects Assessment

Valued Components

Existing Conditions Project

Effects

The effects assessments

focuses on where the project

“interacts” with the existing conditions

Remember: this overlap can

occur in space and time

Valued Component


Effects

◆ “A change”

◆ Can be positive or negative

◆ Can be temporary or permanent, direct or in-direct

Technically and economically feasible measures to avoid, minimize, restore, or otherwise offset potential effects on environmental, social, economic, heritage, and health components

Residual effects are those effects that remain after mitigation measures have been applied

100 ha 75 ha

Interaction: plowing field

Effect: change in habitat

In this example, ploughing the field is the interaction while the effect is a change in habitat, which we quantify as 25 ha. The valued component is the ducks

Bold font indicates mitigations implemented through design. Regular font shows mitigation through action

The Environmental Assessment evaluates and measures the Residual Effects

Mitigation

Valued Component

Potential Interaction Mitigation

Noise Disturbance to human populations, anddisplacement and/or sensory disturbance towildlife caused by noise from miningactivities

• Use acoustical enclosures, insulation and other noise reduction technology

• Maintain equipment on a regular basis• Use physical barriers such as berms to limit noise

effects• Implement a noise and vibration management plan

that limits blasting events to daytime hours

Effect Mitigation EffectResidual Effect

The significance of these residual

effects is evaluated.


Cumulative Effects

Evaluate how residual effects from the Project will interact with other existing or reasonably foreseeable projects.

Significant Residual Effects require additional mitigation measures

Once the Environmental Assessment is complete, it’s time for a break- the project team will need it!

Future Wind Farm

Project Residual Effects

Existing Forestry

Operation

Cumulative effects

Remember: this overlap can

occur in space and time

◆ Vacation!

◆ Environmental Assessment is submitted to the regulator for review

◆ Review duration – 1 year?

◆ Information requests

◆ Study updates

◆ Continue to engage with Indigenous nations and the community

So you’ve written the EA, now what?


Approval

◆ Regulator issues the approval which will include conditions

• Additional mitigation measures

• Monitoring and reporting requirements

◆ Next up…Permitting

◆ Workshops and information sessions

• Mitigation measures!

◆ Providing comments to BGM

◆ Review Detailed Project Description – on EAO Website

◆ EAO Public Comment Periods*

• Process Planning Stage – Late December 2020 to April 2021

• Application Development and Review – Q3 2021 to Q2 2022

• EAO Decision – Q2 2022

◆ EAO Website – details on the BC EAA process

Community Involvement

Continued community involvement is key in making this project a success!


Question 1: Where can we find more information about specific effects, such as noise?Answer 1: The Detailed Project Description, which can be found at the Cariboo Gold EAO Project Site there is a table in Chapter 14 which describes each of the disciplines and the actions which will be taken to mitigate those effects. During the Effects Assessment those will be made much more detailed and specific information provided. This is intended to be shared with the community in the coming Spring, to collect feedback prior to submitting to the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO)

Question 2: What stage of the Environmental Assessment process (as found on the EAO website) is the project currently at?Answer 2: We are currently wrapping up the Baseline Effects Assessments and Existing Conditions studies, and are moving into the Effects Assessment. The EAO is now providing BGM with the expectations for the Effects Assessment and the methods for carrying it out.

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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPROACH