Technical Review of Shell Canada Energy Responses (Dated October 31, 2013)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Technical Review of Shell Canada Energy Responses (dated October 31, 2013) to Joint Review Panel Supplemental Information Request (dated October 25, 2012) Regarding the Integrated Application for the Pierre River Mine Project PREPARED FOR: Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Industry Relations Corporation PREPARED BY: P.M. (Patt) Larcombe, Symbion Consultants January 16, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................... iii INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 SIR Reference - 6............................................................................................................ 2 SIR Reference - 7............................................................................................................ 4 SIR Reference - 8............................................................................................................ 6 SIR Reference - 34c ........................................................................................................ 9 SIR Reference - 60........................................................................................................ 11 SIR Reference - 63........................................................................................................ 14 SIR Reference - 64........................................................................................................ 14 SIR Reference - 65........................................................................................................ 15 SIR Reference - 68........................................................................................................ 17 SIR Reference - 69a...................................................................................................... 20 SIR Reference - 69b...................................................................................................... 23 SIR Reference - 70........................................................................................................ 25 SIR Reference - 71........................................................................................................ 27 ii ACRONYMS ACFN Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation ACFN IRC Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Industry Relations Corporation CEAR Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry document number on the registry for the Pierre River Mine Project ‘Shell Main Body of Pierre River Mine Project - Responses to the Joint Review Response’ Panel's Supplemental Information Requests (Submitted by Shell Canada Limited to the Joint Review Panel), October 31, 2013. Section 3-Responses to Supplemental Information Requests, contained in CEAR #191. DFO Department of Fisheries and Oceans EC Environment Canada JMEP Shell’s Jackpine Mine Expansion Project JMEP JRP Report of the Joint Review Panel Shell Canada Energy Jackpine Mine Expansion Project Application to Amend Approval 9756 Fort McMurray Area. July 9, 2013. 2013 ABAER 011. CEAA Reference No. 59540. JRP Pierre River Mine Joint Review Panel KIR Key Indicator Resource LSA Local Study Area PAD Peace Athabasca Delta PIC Pre-Industrial Case. As defined in Pierre River Mine Project - Responses to the Joint Review Panel's Supplemental Information Requests (Submitted by Shell Canada Limited to the Joint Review Panel), October 31, 2013. PRM Pierre River Mine TK or TEK Traditional Knowledge or Traditional Ecological Knowledge TLU Traditional Land Use iii RSA Regional Study Area SIR Supplemental Information Request RFMA Registered Fur Management Area RMWB Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 2013 Application Case As defined in Pierre River Mine Project - Responses to the Joint Review Panel's Supplemental Information Requests (Submitted by Shell Canada Limited to the Joint Review Panel), October 31, 2013. 2013 Base Case As defined in Pierre River Mine Project - Responses to the Joint Review Panel's Supplemental Information Requests (Submitted by Shell Canada Limited to the Joint Review Panel), October 31, 2013. 2013 PDC 2013 Planned Development Case as defined in Pierre River Mine Project - Responses to the Joint Review Panel's Supplemental Information Requests (Submitted by Shell Canada Limited to the Joint Review Panel), October 31, 2013. iv INTRODUCTION Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Industry Relations Corporation (ACFN IRC) retained Patt Larcombe of Symbion Consultants to assist with reviewing Shell Canada Energy’s (Shell) response (dated October 31, 2013, CEAR #191) to the Supplemental Information Request issued by the Joint Review Panel (JRP) established for the Pierre River Mine Project (dated October 25, 2012, CEAR #170). Ms. Larcombe’s review is a component of a broader submission by ACFN IRC pursuant to the November 7, 2013 JRP invitation for comments (CEAR #192). Ms. Larcombe’s review uses the following template for organizational and referencing purposes: Issue ID:1 ___________________________________________ Reviewer: PL_SC SIR Reference:2 _____________ Document Reference(s):3 _______________________________________________ JME Panel Reference4 (if applicable): _____________________________________ Gaps and/or Shortcomings: Request(s): 1 Main and sub-heading subject descriptors in the JRP SIR request dated October 25, 2012 (CEAR 170). 2 JRP’s SIR request number from CEAR 170. 3 Relevant document and page reference(s) of Shell’s October 31, 2013 response to the SIR. 4 Paragraph number for conclusions or guidance deemed relevant by the Reviewer from the Report of the Joint Review Panel Shell Canada Energy Jackpine Mine Expansion Project. Application to Amend Approval 9756 Fort McMurray Area. July 9, 2013. 2013 ABAER 011, CEAA Reference No. 59540. 1 Issue ID: Methods – Significance of Effects Reviewer: PL_SC SIR Reference - 6 Document Reference(s): Shell Main Body of Response, Section 3, pg. 3-26 and Appendix 3.1 JME Panel Reference (if applicable): Gaps and/or Shortcoming: Part (a) of SIR 6 requests Shell provide information about the numerical ranking system and weighting system used to determine environmental significance of project effects. Shell was requested to provide information such as peer reviewed literature or other scientific basis to support the weighting system employed. Part (b) requests substantiation that the methods, including scale, criteria, definitions, and thresholds for significance determination are reasonable. Part (c) requires Shell to provide details of how and where professional judgement is used. The response to SIR 6 (pg. 3-26) introduces a number of assumptions and factors said to be important in considering and determining significance of effects on Aboriginal rights and interests. This discussion lacks reference to peer-reviewed literature and fails to consider a substantial body of legal jurisprudence and information provided by Aboriginal groups, including ACFN, on this matter. In the absence of such reference, it is concluded that the factors discussed on pg. 3-26 are opinion-based. Verification or substantiation of the assumptions and factors described is required to determine if they are reasonable. The JRP’s Terms of Reference require an examination of “any changes to the environment caused by the project on…current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by Aboriginal persons.” 5 The response to SIR 6 does not address the methods, including scale, criteria, definitions, and thresholds for significance determination employed for assessing project effects and significance of project effects on current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes. Not referenced in the response to SIR 6, is the approach described by Shell in Appendix 3.1 (pgs. 37-39 and 48-49) which appears to have been employed in their cumulative effects assessment on TLU (Appendix 2) and to some extent in their Local Study Area effects assessment described in their response to SIR 65. The factors for determining significance described in Appendix 3.1 (pgs. 37-38 and 48-49) are different than those discussed on pg. 3-26 in the Main Body of Response. Main Body of Response (pg. 3-26) states; “The effects to the exercise of Aboriginal rights and interests may be considered significant if they represent sustained, long-term adverse effects to KIRs that are relied upon, are regularly and preferentially used, and are readily accessible. Furthermore, changes to the 5 Agreement to Establish a Joint Review Panel for the Pierre River Mine Project. Appendix Terms of Reference, pg. 15, section titled “Effects of Changes to the Environment.” June 8, 2012. CEAR #130. 2 ability or desire to exercise particular Aboriginal rights related to the KIRs may contribute to the significance of an effect on Aboriginal rights and interests.” Appendix 3.1 (pgs. 48-49) states; “Generally, significant effects were considered to be high magnitude effects of long duration and affecting the group as a whole. The determination of significance also considered the following: perceptions and values of affected Aboriginal groups; [and] qualitative data and interpretation, and observations of patterns of Aboriginal traditional use of land and resources of a project area.” “Significant: the overall effect is experienced at the Aboriginal group level, and results in substantial changes in the overall patterns of traditional land and resource use.” The criteria discussed in Appendix 3.1 are not supported by professional literature, legal jurisprudence and/or