Historical Overview of the Mid-Canada Line U Winisk, Site 500 U Clean-Up Methodology and Challenges U Involvement of Weenusk First Nation (WFN)
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RPIC, June 2015 ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF THE FORMER MID-CANADA LINE RADAR SITE WINISK CLUSTER (SITES 500, 424, 427,503 and 506) WINISK ONTARIO Social, Logistical and Technical Issues Edmonton, June 2015 Table of Contents u Historical overview of the Mid-Canada Line u Winisk, Site 500 u Clean-up methodology and challenges u Involvement of Weenusk First Nation (WFN) Winisk3 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 3 Historical overview, Mid-Canada Line (MCL) u The 3 main radar detection lines were located as follows: w Pinetree Line along the 49th parallel w The MCL along the 55th parallel w The DEW line along the 70th parallel u MCL consisted of 8 Sector Control Stations (SCS), and 90 Doppler Detection Stations (DDS) u These sites/stations were stretched across 4,300 km from Hopedale, Labrador to Dawson Creek, British Columbia Winisk4 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 4 Winisk5 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 5 Winisk, Site 500 u Winisk Site 500 opened in 1957 and shut down in 1965 u Located at approximately 50 km from Peawanuck u Site access w 800 km winter road w Air w Limited access by sea u Site 500 also served as a staging point for aircraft during the construction of the eastern portion of the DEW Line. u Site 500 was comprised of a main site and 4 Doppler Sites (424, 427, 503, 506) u Clean-up project began in the winter of 2011 and was completed in the summer of 2013 Winisk6 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 6 Winisk7 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 7 Winisk8 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 8 Winisk, Site 500 u The site included: w 11 major buildings, including a gymnasium, mess hall, barracks, operations building, airport hangar and tower w 17 derelict vehicles w Over 22,000 empty fuel drums w 18 POL petroleum tanks with PCB paint Winisk9 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 9 Winisk, Site 500 u Contamination concerns: w Asbestos w PCB paint w Mercury w PCB and hydrocarbon contaminated soil w Waste petroleum products Winisk10 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 10 Remediation work u Asbestos abatement u Construction of an engineering landfill u Removal of hazardous materials from buildings w PCB ballasts, batteries, mercury switches, waste paint, etc. u Excavation of contaminated soil w Low level PCB soil w PH contaminated soil u Drums and tanks management w Recovery of free products u PCB paint removal from18 POL tanks u Contaminated water treatment u Recovery of hazardous materials from Doppler Sites w Sites 424, 427, 503, 506 Winisk11 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 11 Remediation Activities-Engineered Landfill u Construction of an engineered landfill with a volume capacity of 30,400 m3 u Inert debris from building demolition, metal from tanks, pipelines and crushed drums were transferred to the landfill u 20,661 m3 of PH soils meeting the O.reg 558-00, Schedule 4 for metals, PCBs, benzene, benzo(a)pyrene Winisk12 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 12 Remediation-Low level PCB soils u Excavation, removal and containerization of low level PCB contaminated soils with concentration between 0.3 to 50 ppm u Total of 259 bags (750 m.t.) were containerized and disposed of offsite Winisk13 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 13 Remediation-Drum Management u 22,160 drums were found onsite in 4 different locations u Drums were cleaned, crushed and transferred to the landfill u Residual liquids were managed using a waste tracking protocol Winisk14 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 14 Winisk15 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 15 Remediation-Doppler Sites u Work on Doppler Sites from Feb 18 to March 12, 2013 w Daily trips back and forth to each site by snowmobiles/ pickup and return to Peawanuck in the evening Winisk16 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 16 Remediation-Doppler Sites u Hazardous materials management from 4 Doppler Sites (Sites 424, 427, 503, 506) w Asbestos removal (floor tiles and pipe insulation) w Electronic equipment (control panel, mercury switches, ballasts) w Fuel tanks w 1,023 drums w 11,685 L of free product u Work conducted during winter and summer - Recovery of contaminated materials by snowmobile (winter 2013) - Recovery of surplus materials by helicopter (summer 2013) Winisk17 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 17 Winisk18 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 18 Winisk19 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 19 Demobilization u Off-site transportation of waste mainly conducted by the winter road (March 2013) w 43 abandoned vehicles w 1,800 m3 of soil and solid waste u Shipping of contaminated soil and liquid waste by marine carrier (summer 2012), challenges related to: w Water depth in the channel w Quality of the barge landing w Meteorological conditions and tide Winisk20 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 20 Winisk21 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 21 MNR Aboriginal benefits Winisk project u Section 2.5.1.11 u First Nation involvement may include but not be limited to: w Bear monitors w the operating and/or rental of heavy equipment w Site security and Site maintenance, w general labour, heavy equipment operators, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, job training, job development programs (students), u Proponents should clearly demonstrate and document the proposed economic benefit to the First Nations u Potential penalty if contractor do not respect commitments related to FN benefits expressed in the work methodology plan Winisk22 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 22 DND Aboriginal benefits Nunavut DEW line u DND negotiated an agreement with NTI to establish minimum Inuit content that must be respected during the project w Minimum Inuit Employment Content must be at a minimum of 65 – 68 % w Minimum Inuit Contracting Content must be at a minimum of 60 – 75 % u Contractors must submit a Contractor’s Inuit Participation Plan (CIPP) that describes how a company intends to respect the MIEC and the MICC u The CIPP is opened and evaluated before the cost proposal, non-compliant CIPP would result in disqualification of the contractor u The CIPP does not affect the score of the technical proposal or the submitted overall price for the work Winisk23 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 23 AANDC Aboriginal benefits projects in Nunavut u No specific agreement in place with Inuit organisations u Contractors are to set up in their proposal: w Inuit Employment Content (IEC) w Inuit Contracting Content (ICC) u No minimum requirement u IEC and ICC are part of the evaluation of the proposal u 20% of the technical proposal evaluation (weight 12/60) score with no minimum pass level required for Inuit Content but evaluation scores are used to score overall proposal u System of penalty or bonus in relation with contractor proposal obligation Winisk24 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 24 Key Elements of Partnership Success u Listening to expectations u Strong leadership from members of the Peawanuck Band council, Chief Edmond Hunter, Councillors and Elders u Respect and equity u Exchange how we can optimize benefits to the community u Assess and discuss how expectations could be integrated in a competitive bid u Keep communication open during entire process u Properly define mutual responsibilities u Ensure that benefits will serve the community after completion of the project Winisk25 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 25 WFN, Social Considerations u Sense of pride, collaboration for the improvement of the surrounding environment u Remove visual traces and health risks from past military activities u Important contribution through the WFN’s traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) w Ice conditions w Drums cache w Site access u Consider specific interests of the community through this project w Acquisition of heavy equipment, fuel tanks and trucks for the winter road w Jobs and opportunity for advancement w Development of local skills and expertise Winisk26 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 26 Social Involvement… u Contribution to the construction of a playground in Peawanuck u Yearly community meeting to present clean-up progress u Hiring of a local liaison officer u Production of a monthly newsletter posted in the community u Contribution to the Healthy Children Program u Sponsoring and participation in the Fishing Derby and a Community Feast Winisk27 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 27 Technical support provided to the WFN u Clean-up tasks directly contracted by the WFN through the MNR w Removal of pipelines and tanks w Collection of scattered debris and surface dumps w Demolition of large POL tanks u Coordination with Sanexen w Work methodology w Health and safety procedures w Equipment and manpower allocation Winisk28 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 28 Economic Benefits (WFN) u Local employment, 70% of workforce hired through the WFN (excluding camp services) w Bear monitors w Certified nurse w Community liaison officer w Foreman w HEOs and truck drivers w Labourers u Camp services were provided by the WFN through a direct contract with the MNR Winisk29 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 29 Economic Benefits (WFN) u Leasing of heavy equipment, snowmobiles, ATVs and pick-up trucks from the WFN u Transport and supply services by boat provided by local residents u Lodging and meal services in Peawanuck for winter operations u Financial and logistical support for the winter road Overall direct benefits to the community through Sanexen’s contract - $5.9M Winisk30 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 30 Economic Benefits (WFN) u Provisional tasks carried out by the WFN under separate contract with the MNR w Camp services w POL tank demolition w Pipeline dismantling u Doppler building demolition Winisk31 Cluster > RPIC – June 2015 31 Training u 54 workers - total of 5,634 hours of training provided to the community u Sponsoring of a 21 day Environmental Monitor course to 6 community members (course accredited by Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources, BEAHR – ECO Canada) u Over 10 different training sessions provided, including: w Asbestos abatement w Confined space entry w First Aid w TDG1, WHMIS2 w Drum management w PCB paint removal w Heavy equipment coaching 1.