Environmental Assessment Amended Terms of Reference
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Lake Superior Link Transmission Project Environmental Assessment Amended Terms of Reference Prepared by Hydro One Networks Inc. January 2019 Hydro One Networks Inc. - Lake Superior Link Transmission Project 1 Lake Superior Link Transmission Project Individual Environmental Assessment Amended Terms of Reference Prepared for and by: Hydro One Networks Inc. 483 Bay Street Toronto, ON M5G 2P5 January 2019 Hydro One Networks Inc. - Lake Superior Link Transmission Project 2 Executive Summary Hydro One Networks Inc. (Hydro One) is the proponent of the Lake Superior Link Transmission Project which consists of a new, approximately 400 kilometre double-circuit 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line that generally parallels the existing East-West Tie, a double-circuit 230 kV transmission line corridor. It connects the Wawa Transformer Station (TS) to the Lakehead TS near Thunder Bay (with a connection at the Marathon TS), and is referred to as the reference route. The Lake Superior Link Transmission Project is required to ensure an adequate, safe, reliable and affordable supply of power to enable future growth and development in Northwestern Ontario. The purpose of the Terms of Reference (ToR) is to provide the overall framework for the planning and decision making process that will be followed during the Environmental Assessment (EA). The public, Indigenous communities, government agencies and other interested individuals are provided with opportunities to consult on the Project. Should the ToR be approved by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, it will be used by Hydro One to guide the completion of the EA to ensure that it fulfills the requirements of the EA Act and any other applicable requirements. The results of the EA process will then be documented in an EA Report to be submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) for review and approval. There are two key documentation requirements for approval to proceed with an undertaking under subsection (1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, 1990 (EA Act): • the development, submission, review and approval of the ToR; and, • the preparation, submission, review and approval of the EA document in accordance with the framework set out in the MECP approved ToR. The assessment of natural, socio-economic, cultural/built and technical environment is integral to the EA process. Natural features include physical environment, water resources, Environmentally Significant Areas, wildlife and habitat, vegetation, forests and wetlands, aquatic ecosystems, species at risk, and acoustics. The socio-economic and cultural/built features will include cultural heritage, regional planning, commercial and industrial activities, demographics and community profile, traditional and Indigenous land use, human health, visual quality, archaeology, infrastructure and services, and property value. Technical features will include safety, constructability, budget, location, access and interactions with other infrastructure. Effective consultation for both the ToR and EA is a vital part of the Project lifecycle. Consultation and engagement with various stakeholders and Indigenous communities is expected to be on-going throughout the EA process and into the project implementation phase. Interested parties can raise concerns about the Project during the ToR and EA process so that issues can be identified and addressed. Consultation can result in mitigation of effects to individuals and communities, fewer conflicts and delays and helps to improve transparency around the ToR, EA and Project planning process. Interactions with stakeholders will be compiled and consultation commitments will be recorded in the Record of Consultation to capture the wide range of Project interests and allow participation in meaningful ways. Hydro One Networks Inc. - Lake Superior Link Transmission Project 3 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Acronyms .................................................................................................................................................. 9 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Background on the Electricity Sector in Ontario ......................................................................... 13 1.2 Background on the East-West Tie Expansion ............................................................................. 14 1.3 Proponent ................................................................................................................................... 17 1.4 Purpose of the Study and Undertaking ....................................................................................... 17 1.5 Outline of the Terms of Reference ............................................................................................. 18 2. Regulatory Framework for the Project ........................................................................................... 19 2.1 Provincial Regulatory Framework ............................................................................................... 19 2.1.1 Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act ........................................................................... 19 2.1.2 Other Applicable Provincial EA Processes ........................................................................... 22 2.1.3 Ontario Energy Board Act ................................................................................................... 22 2.1.4 The Expropriation Act ......................................................................................................... 23 2.1.5 Other Relevant Provincial Legislation, Permits and Policies ............................................... 24 2.2 Federal Regulatory Framework................................................................................................... 26 2.2.1 Canadian Environmental Assessment Act ........................................................................... 26 2.2.2 Section 67 of CEAA 2012 ..................................................................................................... 26 2.2.3 Indian Act ............................................................................................................................ 27 2.2.4 Species at Risk Act ............................................................................................................... 28 2.2.5 Other Relevant Federal Legislation, Permits, and Policies ................................................. 28 3. Indication of How the EA Will Be Prepared .................................................................................... 29 3.1 EA Document Preparation and Submission ................................................................................ 33 3.2 Flexibility to Accommodate New Circumstances ........................................................................ 34 4. Description of the Undertaking ...................................................................................................... 35 4.1 Technical Overview of the Undertaking...................................................................................... 35 4.1.1 Design Considerations ......................................................................................................... 36 4.1.2 Transmission Line ................................................................................................................ 37 Hydro One Networks Inc. - Lake Superior Link Transmission Project 4 4.1.3 Transmission Line Structures .............................................................................................. 37 4.1.4 Access Roads ....................................................................................................................... 38 4.1.5 Storage, Laydown and Fly Yards ......................................................................................... 39 4.1.6 Construction Offices ............................................................................................................ 39 4.1.7 Temporary Construction Easements................................................................................... 39 4.1.8 Transformer Station Expansions ......................................................................................... 40 4.1.9 Construction Camps ............................................................................................................ 40 4.2 Project Phases ............................................................................................................................. 41 4.2.1 Construction ........................................................................................................................ 41 4.2.2 Operation and Maintenance ............................................................................................... 42 4.2.3 Decommissioning ................................................................................................................ 42 5. Existing Environmental Conditions in the Study Area .................................................................... 43 5.1 Study Area ..................................................................................................................................