Replacement Class Screening for Aircraft Landings
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Replacement Class Screening For Aircraft Landings In Aulavik National Park of Canada, Auyuittuq National Park of Canada, Ivvavik National Park of Canada, Kluane National Park and Reserve of Canada, Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada, Sirmilik National Park of Canada, Tuktut Nogait National Park of Canada, and Ukkusiksalik National Park of Canada Parks Canada Agency December 2004 Replacement Class Screening Report for Aircraft Landings in the Northern National Parks of Canada Aulavik National Park of Canada, Auyuittuq National Park of Canada, Ivvavik National Park of Canada, Kluane National Park and Reserve of Canada, Quttinirpaaq National Park of Canada, Sirmilik National Park of Canada, Tuktut Nogait National Park of Canada, and Ukkusiksalik National Park of Canada Parks Canada Agency December 2004 Table of Contents GLOSSARY....................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 2 1.1. NATIONAL PARKS CONTEXT ................................................................................. 2 1.1.1. Managing for ecological integrity .............................................................. 2 1.1.2. Managing for cultural resources ................................................................ 3 1.1.3. Managing for visitor experience................................................................. 3 1.1.4. Cooperative management ........................................................................... 4 1.2. CLASS SCREENING AND THE CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACT .... 4 1.3. REPLACEMENT CLASS SCREENING AND THE CANDIDATE CLASS ........................... 5 1.4. CONSULTATION ................................................................................................... 6 1.4.1. Review and comments by Federal Departments and Agencies and other Environmental Assessment Regimes....................................................... 6 1.4.2. Public consultation during development of RCS ........................................ 6 1.5. CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REGISTRY........................................ 6 2. PROJECTS SUBJECT TO THE CLASS SCREENING...................................... 7 2.1. PROJECTS SUBJECT TO THE ACT............................................................................ 7 2.2. PROJECTS EXCLUDED UNDER THE ACT ................................................................. 7 2.3. PROJECTS SUBJECT TO REPLACEMENT CLASS SCREENING..................................... 8 2.4. PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE REFERRALS TO FEDERAL OR TERRITORIAL DEPARTMENTS ..................................................................................................... 8 2.5. PROJECTS NOT SUBJECT TO THE RCS ................................................................... 8 3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................... 11 3.1. TYPICAL SEASONAL SCHEDULING AND DURATION OF PROJECTS......................... 12 3.2. EFFECTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE PROJECT............................................... 12 3.3. ACCIDENTS/MALFUNCTIONS .............................................................................. 12 4. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ASSESSMENT................................................ 13 4.1. LAND USE AND MANAGEMENT IN THE NATIONAL PARKS.................................... 13 4.1.1. Aboriginal land use................................................................................... 13 4.1.2. National park zoning system..................................................................... 13 4.1.3. Visitor use ................................................................................................. 14 4.2. DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES .................................... 15 4.2.1. Vegetation and soil ................................................................................... 15 4.2.2. Wildlife...................................................................................................... 17 4.2.3. Aquatic resources...................................................................................... 20 4.2.4. Cultural resources .................................................................................... 21 4.2.5. Site specific ............................................................................................... 21 4.3. VALUED ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS AND BOUNDARIES ...................................... 23 4.4. ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS AND MITIGATION ............................................................ 25 4.4.1. Management of solid waste....................................................................... 25 4.4.2. Management of human waste ................................................................... 27 4.4.3. Management and handling of fuel ............................................................ 28 4.4.4. Flight and operation of the aircraft.......................................................... 29 4.4.5. Approach and landing............................................................................... 33 4.5. ACCIDENTS AND MALFUNCTIONS....................................................................... 36 4.6. ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION OF SIGNIFICANCE OF RESIDUAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS............................................................................................................. 37 4.7. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ANALYSIS....................................................................... 40 5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES..................................................................... 43 5.1. RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES ............................................................................... 43 5.2. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ...................................................................................... 43 5.3. COORDINATION WITH OTHER EA REGIMES ........................................................ 44 6. PROCEDURES FOR AMENDING THE REPLACEMENT CLASS SCREENING REPORT ................................................................................................. 44 6.1.1. Term of application................................................................................... 44 6.1.2. Review and amendment procedures.......................................................... 45 7. REFERENCES........................................................................................................ 45 APPENDIX A.................................................................................................................. 48 GENERAL MITIGATION FOR ALL PARKS .......................................................................... 48 AULAVIK NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA ........................................................................ 49 AUYUITTUQ NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA .................................................................... 50 IVVAVIK NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA.......................................................................... 51 KLUANE NATIONAL PARK AND RESERVE OF CANADA................................................... 51 QUTTINIRPAAQ NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA ............................................................... 53 SIRMILIK NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA......................................................................... 54 TUKTUT NOGAIT NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA............................................................. 55 UKKUSIKSALIK NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA ............................................................... 55 List of Figures FIGURE 1. LOCATION MAP................................................................................................. 10 List of Tables TABLE 1. TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS TO PARKS . ........................................................... 15 TABLE 2. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES......................... 26 TABLE 3: SIGNIFICANCE CRITERIA DESCRIPTION............................................................... 37 TABLE 4. EVALUATION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ADVERSE RESIDUAL EFFECTS ON VECS AFTER CONSIDERATION OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ..................................................... 40 Replacement Class Screening Report Glossary CEA – Cumulative Effects Assessment CEAA – Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency CEAR – Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry COSEWIC - Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada EA – Environmental Assessment ESA – Ecologically Sensitive Area ESS – Ecologically Sensitive Site FA – Federal Authority LMU – Land Management Units RA – Responsible Authority as defined under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act RCS – Replacement Class Screening The Act – The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act WCSC – Western Canada Service Centre 1 Replacement Class Screening Report 1. Introduction Eight northern national parks created over the past 28 years in the Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and Nunavut Territory are not accessible by road or have large areas that are distant from roads. In order to participate in recreational activities, helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft have been used to bring visitors to these parks or remote areas of the parks. Since activities described in this report are referred to in the Inclusion List Regulations and require the issuance of business licences authorizing aircraft operation and landing for recreational purposes in national parks, an assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment