Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Line 3 Replacement Program November 2014/10427
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Application Submitted to the NEB Appendix 6 Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Line 3 Replacement Program November 2014/10427 5.1.13.1 Potential Archaeological Areas Archaeological and historic sites are both areas that preserve some component of past human activity. Archaeological sites, unlike historical sites, are composed of artifacts associated with a precontact period that precedes the written record. Historic sites are areas of human activity that were created after the appearance of writing and prior to the last 50 years. Modern sites are generally sites created later than 50 years before present. Locations within the Footprint that are considered to have low archaeological potential are characterized by flat, featureless terrain, water saturated environments such as bogs and muskeg, moderately to steeply sloping terrain and previously disturbed lands (e.g., roadways and industrial developments). Areas such as these are not targeted for pedestrian assessment, however, these areas were assessed by desktop review as well as aerial photography. Areas within the Footprint that are considered to have moderate to high archaeological potential and, targeted as a result, are characterized by at least one of the following features: • areas of level, well-drained terrain adjacent to defined water sources (e.g., rivers, lakes); • the level tops and benches of well-defined, elevated landforms, such as knolls and eskers, in areas of otherwise level terrain; • level terrain adjacent to distinct breaks-in-slope; • micro-topographic relief, providing well-drained landforms adjacent to or within low-lying areas or muskeg; and • the locations of previously known archaeological or historic period sites. Alberta In Alberta, Historical Resources Act (HRA) clearance from ACT, Historic Resources Management Branch, is required for the Project. An HRA Clearance Application was completed for the replacement areas in Alberta and submitted to Alberta Culture (currently known as ACT) through the Online Permitting and Clearance system. Should ACT determine that a Historical Resources Impact Assessment (HRIA) is required, an archaeological research permit will be obtained to conduct the HRIA and obtain HRA clearance prior to construction. The proposed replacement pipeline construction right-of-way crosses two Natural Subregions within Alberta: the Central Parkland Natural Subregion; and the Northern Fescue Natural Subregion (Natural Regions Committee 2006). Most of the lands crossed by the replacement pipeline route are agricultural and have been disturbed by plowing for cultivation, hay and tame pasture. Exceptions include smaller areas of aspen woodlands and mixed deciduous forest, treed pasture and fringes of native vegetation around wetlands and the edges of certain watercourses (Section 5.1.9). The replacement pipeline route generally parallels an existing pipeline corridor that has been previously investigated under Historical Resources Impact Assessments (HRIAs) and Historical Resources Overviews. Most of the lands crossed by the replacement pipeline route have no Historical Resource Value (HRV), however, several quarter-sections have been assigned HRVs, and these have been assessed in the past under Alberta Culture Permits for pipeline developments which directly parallel the replacement pipeline route. Past Alberta Culture Permits which parallel the replacement pipeline route include 76-025, 88-015, 93-076, 94-025, 94-046, 99-040, 99-046,07-325, 12-217, 13-032 and 2007-159. The 24 previously recorded sites in proximity to the proposed construction right-of-way include: 3 precontact cairn sites (FcOq-13, FcOq-16 and FcOq-17), a likely historic stone cairn feature (FcOq-18), a stone circle (FcOq-19), 6 isolated precontact lithic finds (FcOq-15, FbOn-1, FcOo-5, FcOo-9, FcOo-10 and FdOs-1), 4 subsurface precontact artifact scatters (FcOp-3, FcOr-5, FdOr-2 and FdOr-13), a precontact surface lithics scatter (FcOp-4), 5 precontact campsites (FcOp-1, FcOp-2, FcOq-11, FcOq-12 and FdOs-2) and 3 historic sites (FbOn-H1, FdOr-H2 and FdOs-H3). Page 5-200 Application Submitted to the NEB Appendix 6 Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Line 3 Replacement Program November 2014/10427 Saskatchewan In Saskatchewan, approval for the Project from Saskatchewan Parks, Culture and Sport, Heritage Conservation Branch (HCB) is required under the Heritage Property Act (HPA). A desktop study was made of the Project using the HCB Developers’ Online Screening Tool, revealing that additional screening is required for portions of the replacement pipeline. Heritage Resource Review Referrals were submitted to the HCB for the Saskatchewan Replacement Areas. Should the HCB determine that an HRIA is required, an archaeological research permit will be obtained to conduct the HRIA and obtain approval for the construction of the replacement pipeline. The proposed replacement pipeline construction right-of-way crosses the following three ecoregions within Saskatchewan: the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion; the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion and; the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion (Saskatchewan Research Council 2007). The replacement pipeline route parallels/overlaps both the Enbridge ACEP and mainline corridor rights- of-way for a total of 534.2 km or 78.5% of its length in Saskatchewan, with the exceptions of 28 segments for an approximate total of 146.2 km which do not parallel an existing pipeline right-of-way. The segments of the replacement pipeline route which do not parallel existing pipeline rights-of-way in Saskatchewan have not been assessed under previous permits issued by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport (Heritage Resources Branch) and will require a full HRIA. For the Saskatchewan portion of the replacement pipeline route which parallels existing pipeline rights-of-way, heritage resource assessments have been conducted under Saskatchewan Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport (Heritage Resources Branch) Permits 86-006, 93-069, 99-019, 01-048, 06-2170, 07-143, 07-094, 08-134, 08-135 and 09-093. There are 86 previously recorded archaeological sites in proximity to the proposed construction right-of-way in Saskatchewan, including 30 isolated finds of single artifacts, 26 artifact scatters, 5 subsurface prehistoric campsites, 17 stone feature sites including a possible burial, 6 historic sites and 2 sites listed by the Saskatchewan Heritage Resources Branch as being “uninterpreted”. Details of the previously recorded sites in Saskatchewan are listed in Table 5.1.13-1 below. The five buried campsites are representative of much more substantial sites. Campsites are usually occupied by larger groups for longer periods of time. Consequently, there are often more activities taking place at the site (e.g., butchering, food preparation, tool making, etc.) all within a localized area. The concentrated activity tends to result in a much higher density of artifacts deposited at these sites. These campsites, if intact, have a high interpretive value and, if they cannot be avoided, require major mitigation (i.e., excavation). The 17 stone feature sites in the vicinity of the proposed construction right-of-way range from a single stone cairn to multiple stone circle sites with 10-plus features within one site. The cairn sites vary in function and, therefore, vary in interpretive value. Most cairn sites represent directional markers with the site consisting of no more than the pile of cobbles. These sites have a very low interpretive value. In other cases, the cairns will be coverings for offerings or as a cache of goods deposited for use at a later date. These sites offer a higher interpretive value since the cache will often contain a substantial amount of material goods. While offerings will contain fewer materials, they are of spiritual significance and offer insight in past practices and beliefs. In rare instances, cairns are used as coverings for human remains (bundle burials). These burials are listed as Sites of a Special Nature by the HCB and are of special significance to First Nations groups and require avoidance. Site EdNh-22 is one such cairn site that, while untested, is believed to be a human burial due to the cairn’s size and its location on the landscape. The six historic sites recorded adjacent to the proposed construction right-of-way consist of five historic homestead locations. These homestead locations vary from small scatters of historic artifacts to actual building remains including cellar depressions and foundations. Sites of this nature usually have a limited amount of domestic and agricultural artifacts associated with them. Avoidance of any standing structures is usually required at these sites. Mitigation for associated scatters of historic artifacts usually requires a surface collection and mapping of any structures, features (such as old cellar depressions) and the location of surface artifacts. For some homesteads established prior to 1890, there may be buried components to the site which may require mitigation excavations. Unless the homestead is of substantial age or is associated with a person of historic significance, these sites have a moderate interpretive value. Page 5-201 Application Submitted to the NEB Appendix 6 Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Line 3 Replacement Program November 2014/10427 The remaining historic site consists of a concrete railway bridge from 1921. This site is associated with early railway activity