Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment for the Enbridge Pipelines Inc
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE ENBRIDGE PIPELINES INC. LINE 2 REPLACEMENT PROJECT December 2012 8207 Prepared for: Prepared by: Enbridge Pipelines Inc. TERA Environmental Consultants Edmonton, Alberta Suite 1100, 815 - 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 3P2 Ph: 403-265-2885 Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Line 2 Replacement Project December 2012 / 8207 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Enbridge Pipelines Inc. (Enbridge) is applying to the National Energy Board (NEB) under Section 58 of the NEB Act for approval to construct and operate a new pipeline (the Line 2 Replacement pipeline) and Section 44 of the Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR), 1999 for approval to deactivate a segment of the existing Enbridge Line 2 pipeline (the Project). Enbridge currently operates the existing Line 2 pipeline which originates at Enbridge’s existing Edmonton Terminal and transports crude oil southeast to the United States border near Gretna, Manitoba. The proposed Line 2 Replacement pipeline will replace the segment of pipeline between the Edmonton Terminal at SE 5-53-23 W4M and a new block valve located near Joseph Lake at SW 1-50-22 W4M. The proposed 609 mm outside diameter (Nominal Pipe Size [NPS] 24) pipeline will transport crude oil and is approximately 38.2 km in length (Figure 1.1). The proposed pipeline route is contiguous to existing linear disturbances for approximately 94% of its length. The construction right-of-way will typically be 43 m wide, including an approximately 10-13 m wide permanent easement, with the remainder of the width to be used as temporary workspace. In accordance with Canadian Standards Association Z662, the deactivated segment of the existing Line 2 pipeline will be cleaned, purged, filled with nitrogen gas and left in place. Deactivation activities will be focused at both ends of the deactivated segment where excavation is required. Enbridge anticipates that all work will occur mostly within existing Enbridge property or the existing Enbridge right-of-way (i.e., at the Edmonton Terminal and at the end of the Project at SW 1-50-22 W4M). In the event that additional temporary workspace is required, Enbridge will acquire it appropriately. Pending regulatory approval, construction of the replacement pipeline is anticipated to commence in August 2013 and be in-service by Q4 2013. Deactivation of the existing Line 2 pipeline segment will follow the Line 2 Replacement in-service date. Design, construction and operation of the Project will be in compliance with all applicable codes, standards and regulations. Enbridge commissioned TERA Environmental Consultants to prepare an Environmental and Socio- Economic Assessment (ESA). The ESA has been prepared in accordance with the NEB Filing Manual (NEB 2004) under Section 58 of the NEB Act and Section 44 of the OPR, 1999. Pursuant to Guide A.2.1 and G.2 of the NEB Filing Manual, the level of detail contained in this report corresponds to the nature and magnitude of the anticipated environmental impacts and has been prepared to meet NEB requirements for a Section 58 and 44 Application. An ESA checklist of NEB Filing Manual requirements is provided in Section 1.8 of this ESA. In addition, the ESA has been prepared to meet the requirements of the NEB Online Application System guidance. Biophysical reports are provided as appendices of this report and include soils, aquatics, wildlife, vegetation, rare plants and wetlands. A Historical Resources Impact Assessment was also conducted in October 2012 and will be submitted to Alberta Culture for clearance under the Historical Resources Act. Supplemental filings will include a review of wetlands, vegetation, weeds and wildlife at selected locations not surveyed in 2012. The Project is located in an agricultural setting in Strathcona and Leduc counties in the Province of Alberta. The proposed Line 2 Replacement pipeline route traverses the Transportation / Utilities Corridor (TUC) for 10 km (26%), provincial Crown land for 0.8 km (2%) and the remaining 27.4 km (72%) of its length is privately-owned land. Communities located in the vicinity of the Project include Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Leduc, Camrose and Tofield. Land use along the proposed pipeline route consists of cultivated land (28.6%), treed-pasture (27.2%), tame pasture (21.2%), hay (14.1%), treed areas (6.3%), open water (1%), tree nursery (0.8%) and disturbed land (0.8%). The nearest communities to the Project are: the City of Edmonton, located approximately 200 m west of KPE 4.0 (SW 21-52-23 W4M); Sherwood Park, crossed by the pipeline route from KP 0.0 (SE 5-53-23 W4M) to KPHA 0.4 (SW 28-52-23 W4M); the City of Leduc, located approximately 19.8 km southwest of KPE 10 (NW 33-51-23 W4M); the City of Camrose, located approximately 31.2 km southeast of KP 33.8 (SW 1-50-22 W4M); and the Town of Tofield, located approximately 26.9 km east of KP 33.8 (SW 1-50-22 W4M). There are many residences located within 1 km of the proposed construction right-of-way within the City of Edmonton. Page i Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Line 2 Replacement Project December 2012 / 8207 The Aboriginal Engagement Program for the Project was guided by Enbridge’s Aboriginal Affairs Group. The focus of Enbridge’s primary consultation activities has been with the following Aboriginal communities: Alexander First Nation; Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation; Enoch Cree Nation; Ermineskin Cree Nation; Louis Bull Tribe; Montana First Nation; Paul First Nation; Samson Cree Nation; Métis Nation of Alberta – Zone 2 Regional Council; and Métis Nation of Alberta – Zone 4 Regional Council. The Aboriginal Engagement Program for the Project has included, and will continue to involve, a number of activities including: mail outs of letters and Project information materials; Aboriginal community open houses (where requested and reasonably appropriate); face-to-face meetings and Project presentations; community visits and information drop offs; and on-going issues tracking and follow-up activities. There are three proposed watercourse crossings identified along the proposed pipeline route: Goldbar Creek at KPE 1.8 (SW 28-52-23 W4M); Mill Creek at KPE 14.4 (SE 35-51-23 W4M); and Irvine Creek at KP 24.2 (SW 33-50-22 W4M). Goldbar and Mill creeks are uncoded mapped Class D watercourses, while Irvine Creek is an unmapped Class D watercourse. All three watercourses have no restricted activity period from a fisheries perspective. The 2012 wetland field surveys confirmed that 61 wetlands (3.6 km in total length) are crossed by the Project, comprising approximately 9.3% of the proposed pipeline route. Wetlands crossed include 12 Class IV wetlands, 32 Class III wetlands, 6 Class II wetlands and 11 shrubby swamps. This list will be updated following a supplemental wetlands evaluation planned for 2013 targeting locations where access was not available in 2012 and where route revisions occurred subsequent to the summer 2012 field season. Potential environmental and socio-economic concerns identified by the ESA include issues relating to: topsoil conservation and maintenance of soil productivity on agricultural lands; soil erosion control; potential introduction and spread of weeds and clubroot disease; and potential effects on wildlife. Wetland and watercourse crossings have been located and construction of the crossings has been planned in a manner which will minimize bank and slope instability, as well as the potential for future erosion. Specific environmental measures will be identified for watercourse and wetland crossing construction, soils handling and maintenance of agricultural productivity of soils. These measures, along with other protection measures designed to mitigate the potential environmental and socio-economic effects, are identified in the Environmental Protection Plan within Appendix 1 of the ESA and on the Environmental Alignment Sheets in Appendix 2 of the ESA. The environmental concerns associated with the Line 2 Replacement Project are routinely encountered during pipeline construction and deactivation in an agricultural area. The ESA concludes that the environmental management strategy, which includes appropriate routing, mitigation for potential and cumulative effects, environmental inspection and orientation, will avoid, eliminate and/or reduce the severity of potential effects arising from the Project; therefore, this ESA concludes that there are no situations that would result in a significant residual environmental effect or a significant residual socio- economic effect, as defined in the ESA. Similarly, there are no situations where that would result in a significant cumulative environmental effect or a significant cumulative socio-economic effect, as defined in the ESA. Page ii Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Line 2 Replacement Project December 2012 / 8207 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... I 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Project Overview .............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Project Justification .......................................................................................................... 1-8 1.3 Regulatory Framework ....................................................................................................