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Proposed Northwest Transmission Line
Public open houses:
Smithers March 31, 2009 – Hudson Bay Lodge Terrace April 1, 2009 – Coast Inn of the West Stewart April 2, 2009 – Al Lawrence Memorial Arena
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Overview• About BCTC• Proposed Northwest Transmission Line (NTL)
- Overview- Route options- Right-of-way and structures
• Consultation • Environmental studies• Milestones• Questions
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About BCTC• Independent Crown Corporation
- Regulated by the BC Utilities Commission- Reports to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
• Responsible for planning, building, operating and maintaining the Province’s grid in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner
- $5.3 billion, 10-year capital plan- Long-Term Transmission Vision (30-year road map)
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The Transmission SystemMore than 18,000 km oftransmission lines
75,000 hectares of ROW
Close to 300 stations
State of the art system control centre and backup facility
Interconnections to USAand Alberta
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Potential NTL~ 335 km, 287 kV transmission line
Skeena substation (Terrace) to possible new substation near Bob Quinn Lake
Alternative routes being studied in some locations
~ $400 million (2007 estimate); private-public partnership
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Potential benefits• If NTL is constructed, it could provide:
- Reliable, clean electricity supply to attract and support new industrial developments – such as mines – which could support overall economic growth
- Secure grid connection to new sources of clean electricity (IPPs)- Potential to connect communities reliant on diesel generation to a cleaner
power supply, if they wish
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Key dates to December 2007
• May 4, 2007: BCTC applied to BCEAO, requesting that NTL be accepted for review under the BC Environmental Assessment Act
• June 1, 2007: BCEAO accepted NTL for review and posted project description
• Nov 12, 2007: BCEAO issued Section 11 Order • Nov 13, 2007: BCEAO posted draft Terms of Reference (TOR)
for EA Application; public comment period startedNovember 26, 2007: NTL put on hold• Dec 5, 2007: Public comment period suspended
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Current phase of NTL • Province announces funding Sept. 26, 2008, to continue the
environmental assessment and consultation processes
• This will lead to the preparation of an Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate
• Province seeking a partner to contribute towards construction costs
• No plans to file the Application or to construct NTL until “funding gap” is addressed
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Terms of Reference• Consultation with Nisga’a Nation, First Nations, agencies,
stakeholders and public
• Specifies studies to be conducted and information requirements to be provided in Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate
• Assessment work has been contracted to Rescan Environmental Services Ltd., with professional and technical field assistance by First Nations and Nisga’a Nation
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Nisga’a and First Nations consultation• Led by BC Hydro’s Aboriginal Relations and Negotiations
team
• First Nations with interests in NTL, and Nisga’a Nation, are encouraged to participate throughout the planning process, environmental assessment, and other regulatory or approval processes related to NTL
• First Nations and Nisga’a Nation participation facilitated through funding
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First Nations consultation• First Nations participating in consultation process include:
- Kitselas First Nation- Kitsumkalum First Nation- Lax Kw’alaams First Nation- Metlakatla First Nation- Gitxsan - Skii km Lax Ha Nation- Tahltan - Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs
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Public consultation• Led by BCTC Community Relations. Goals:
- Provide information and receive feedback through meetings with stakeholders and public; web and email updates; and other communications materials
- Identify opportunities for public input into NTL and encourage public involvement in the EA process for NTL
• Going forward:- Continue to update and offer meetings to interested stakeholder groups- Arrange public meetings in support of EA process (e.g., during public
comment period for draft Terms of Reference)
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Study topicsMeteorology & Air QualityNoiseVisual QualitySoilsGeotechnical & Natural HazardsPhysiography & TopographyGeology & GeochemistryHydrologyHydrogeologyArchaeologyTraditional Use
Traditional KnowledgeEcosystem MappingVegetation WildlifeFisheriesAquaticsWetlandsSocio-economicsLand UsePublic HealthTransportation & Utilities
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Studies • Meteorology/Air quality:
historic and current conditions; potential impacts of weather and air quality on transmission line
• Visual quality: potential effect of project on visually sensitive areas, such as parks, communities, viewsheds, etc.
• Noise: existing noise levels and potential changes during project construction and operation
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Studies (cont’d)
• Soils: determine which soils in project area are sensitive to degradation/erosion
• Geotechnical/Natural hazards:assess terrain stability in project area (e.g., seismic, volcanic, land movement, etc.)
• Physiography/Topography: key features in area, such as mountains, watercourses, wetlands, etc.
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Studies (cont’d)
• Geology/geochemistry: characterization of representative rock types; determination of metal leaching/acid rock drainage
• Hydrology: surface water quantity conditions
• Hydrogeography:characteristics of any ground water aquifers, esp. at proposed substation and work camp sites
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Studies (cont’d)
• Vegetation and Ecosystem mapping: inventory of plant species and ecosystems
• Wildlife: habitat mapping and surveys of ungulates, grizzly bear, birds, bats, species at risk
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Studies (cont’d)
• Fisheries: fish presence and habitat quality for watercourses crossed by potential project
• Aquatics: aquatic communities and habitat in watercourses crossed by potential project
• Wetlands: types, sizes locations and functions; plant species, soil and water characteristics; reliant wildlife
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Studies (cont’d)
• Public Health: audible noise, EMF, domestic water quality/supply, country foods
• Socio-economic: community well-being – economic, services, employment, infrastructure, etc.
• Land use: forestry, mining, traplines, fishing/angling, guide-outfitting, tourism, residential, etc.
• Transportation, Utilities air, land and water transportation corridors; utilities (gas, electric, sewers, etc.)
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Studies (cont’d)• Archaeology: archaeological
overview assessment; based on AOA determine if archaeological impact assessment required in any portion of study area
• Traditional Knowledge & Use:First Nations with traditional territory in proposed project area hold unique knowledge
• Nisga’a Nation rights and interests: Nisga’a Nation has unique knowledge of Nisga’a lands, Nass area and Nass wildlife area
• BCTC working with First Nationsand Nisga’a Nation to support community-directed studies
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Environmental Management Program
• BCTC Construction Environmental Management Plans and Operational Environmental Management Programs
- Construction EMPs describe the environmental practices and procedures to be applied during the construction of the project
- Operational EM Programs include existing provincial procedures, systems, principles and plans applied during operations and which may be periodically updated
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Upcoming milestones
• June 2009: Finalize TOR; complete studies and effects assessments
• Sept 2009: Application for EA Certificate ready for filing
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BCTC Project Delivery Team
PM(Tim Jennings)
BCTCSteering Committee
(David Emerson, Doug Little, John Irving, Bruce Barrett, Julius Pataky,
Janet Woodruff)
NTL ProjectOrganization Chart
Community Relations
(Lesley Wood)
Environmental Consultant
(Rescan – Rolf Schmitt)
Properties(BCH - Sharon
Szameit)
FN’s(BCH ARN –
Jeremy Higham)
BCTC System Planning
(Phil Park)
BCH Engineering(Pat Siega)