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NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Northwest Mainline Expansion April 2011 / 7212/7238 5.0 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC SETTING The state of the environment in the Project area has changed dramatically since settlers arrived in the northeastern BC and northwestern Alberta area in the early 1900s using the Athabasca, Edson and Hinton trails. Further information on these changes is provided in the cumulative effects assessment (Section 7.0 of this ESA). The following subsections present a summary of the environmental and socio-economic setting of the Project. The spatial boundaries of elements discussed in the environmental setting are described in Section 6.2 of this ESA. The environmental setting was compiled based on the following sources: • aquatic, vegetation, wetland, wildlife and heritage resources field studies conducted for the Project; • existing published literature including topographic maps, aerial photography, scientific papers, and reference books, as well as municipal, provincial and federal government maps, reports, interactive websites, guides, information letters, fact sheets and databases; and • personal communications with Aboriginal communities, local communities and land users, local and regional governments, federal and provincial government agencies and the general public. Methods of obtaining resource material included searching libraries, internet searches and receiving documents directly from government agencies. References used in the preparation of the environmental and socio-economic setting of this ESA are cited in Section 5.19 of this ESA. The supporting studies for this ESA are provided in Appendices 1 through 7 of this ESA. The environmental setting is divided into subsections according to either the environmental or social setting component. Potential Project-related effects and mitigation are presented in Section 6.2 of this ESA. Known reference points along the proposed pipeline loops are commonly referred to as KPs which are approximately 1 km apart and are primarily used to describe features along the proposed pipeline loops for construction, operation, and maintenance purposes. Refer to Section 1.1 of this ESA for a complete description of the KP designators set to distinguish the separate pipeline loops. For the Kyklo Creek Section, KPK 0.0 is located in BC near the existing Sierra Gas Plant in b-25-K/94-I-11 while the end (KPK 29.1) is located in a-97-F/94-I-10. For the Timberwolf Section, KPT 0.0 is located at the applied-for NGTL Moody Creek Compressor Station in NW 3-109-12 W6M and the end point(KPT 49.8) is located in NW 6-104-12 W6M at the existing NGTL Snowfall Creek Meter Station. For the Cranberry Section, KPC 0.0 is located at the NGTL Chinchaga Meter Station at NE 13-96-5 W6M and the end (KPC 32.3) is located at the existing NGTL Chinchaga Meter Station at SW 31-96-7 W6M. The spatial boundaries used in measuring each environmental or social component discussed in the setting considered one or more of the following areas. • A Footprint, made up of the area directly disturbed by the Project construction and clean-up activities, including associated physical works and activities (e.g., permanent rights-of-way, temporary construction camps, temporary workspaces for construction and block valve sites) • An LSA that varies with the environment and resource use related socio-economic element being considered. For each element considered, the LSA is established based on the zone of influence (ZOI) within which plants, animals and humans are most likely to be affected by Project construction and operation. Detailed discussions regarding the LSA and associated rationale are provided in Section 6.2 of this ESA. For social elements (e.g., human occupancy and resource use), local potential effects are related to specific communities considered in the socio-economic assessment. The communities considered were based on whether there would be direct potential effects, such as a physical, social or economic interaction between the Project and the community or community residents and their economic, social or cultural resources and pursuits. The communities considered in the socio-economic assessment include: – Horn River Mainline (Kyklo Creek Section): Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM); Page 5-1 NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Northwest Mainline Expansion April 2011 / 7212/7238 – Northwest Mainline (Timberwolf Section): Town of Rainbow Lake, Town of High Level and County of Northern Lights; and – Tanghe Creek Lateral Loop No. 2 (Cranberry Section): Town of Manning and Clear Hills County. • For Aboriginal communities, consideration was given to whether the Project was within 50 km of Aboriginal communities’ traditional territory as they defined it. The Aboriginal communities considered in the socio-economic assessment include: – Horn River Mainline (Kyklo Creek Section): Fort Nelson First Nation, Prophet River First Nation and Dene Tha’ First Nation; – Northwest Mainline (Timberwolf Section): Doig River First Nation, Dene Tha’ First Nation, Beaver First Nation, Fort Vermilion Métis Local 74, Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement; and Duncan’s First Nation; and – Tanghe Creek Lateral Loop No. 2 (Cranberry Section): Doig River First Nation, Dene Tha’ First Nation, Beaver First Nation, Fort Vermilion Métis Local 74, Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement and Duncan’s First Nation. An RSA consists of the area extending beyond the LSA boundary and varies with the environment and resource use related socio-economic element being considered. For each element considered, a separate spatial RSA boundary was established in consideration of the Project regional effects on the individual element. Further rationale for the establishment of the Project RSA(s) is provided in Section 6.2 of this ESA. The ecological boundary is described in the discussions of each applicable biological element. Spatial ecological boundaries were determined by the distribution, movement patterns and potential zones of interaction between an element and the Project. The ecological boundary may be limited to the Footprint (e.g., proposed pipeline construction right-of-way) or extend beyond the physical boundaries of the area of the Project component since the distribution or movement of an element can be local, regional or provincial in extent. Reconnaissance and detailed field studies, as well as desktop studies, considered a minimum corridor width of approximately 100 m wide corridor centred on the proposed pipeline loops, as well as known areas where temporary workspace is expected to be necessary. In the event an area of interest was identified (e.g., rare plant or wildlife feature such as a mineral lick), field crews expanded their survey as appropriate (no greater than the LSA) to identify the extent and distribution of the area of interest, and ensure a comprehensive assessment of the environmental characteristics of the proposed pipeline loop being considered. 5.1 Physical and Meteorological Environment This subsection presents a summary of the physical and meteorological environmental setting found in the Physical Environment RSA (see Figure 6.1). It describes the physiographic, geologic and meteorological conditions documented near the three proposed pipeline loops and associated facilities. Potential Project-related effects and mitigation pertaining to physical and meteorological environment are discussed in Section 6.2.1 of this ESA. 5.1.1 Physiography Horn River Mainline (Kyklo Creek Section) The Kyklo Creek Section lies in the Fort Nelson Lowland Subregion of the Great Plains Physiographic Region (Valentine et al. 1978). The Great Plains Physiographic Region is characterized by structurally controlled topography with mesas and cuestas, developed on flat-lying or gently dipping sandstones and shales. The sandstones are relatively resistant to erosion and are found in upland or level areas along this proposed pipeline loop. Terrain along the Kyklo Creek Section is generally level to undulating. Elevations along this proposed pipeline loop range from 384 to 434 m above sea level (asl). Page 5-2 NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd. Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Northwest Mainline Expansion April 2011 / 7212/7238 Northwest Mainline (Timberwolf Section) The Timberwolf Section traverses the Clear Hills Uplands Division of the Northern Alberta Uplands Physiographic Region (Pettapiece 1986). This proposed pipeline loop is located in the Rainbow Lake Plain and Chinchaga Plain Districts. Terrain is generally level to undulating along the Timberwolf Section with moderate slopes encountered at selected watercourse crossings (i.e., the Little Buffalo River and Chasm Creek). Steep slopes were noted at the watercourse crossing of Hay River at KPT 5.9. Elevations along this proposed pipeline loop range from 430 to 692 m asl. Tanghe Creek Lateral Loop No. 2 (Cranberry Section) The Cranberry Section is located in the Clear Hills Uplands Division of the Northern Alberta Uplands Physiographic Region (Pettapiece 1986). This proposed pipeline loop lies in the Clear Hills Plain and Chinchaga Plain Districts. Terrain is generally level to gently rolling along the Cranberry Section with some moderate slopes encountered along segments from approximately KPC 0.4 to KPC 0.9 and from KPC 20.0 to KPC 23.0. Elevations along this proposed pipeline loop range from 651 to 988 m asl. 5.1.2 Bedrock Geology Horn River Mainline (Kyklo Creek Section) The Kyklo Creek