Alberta for the TERASEN PIPELINES (TRANS MOUNTAIN) INC. TMX - ANCHOR LOOP PROJECT
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Prepared for: HISTORICAL RESOURCES IMPACT Terasen Pipelines ASSESSMENT - ALBERTA (Trans Mountain) Inc. Calgary, Alberta FOR THE TERASEN PIPELINES (TRANS MOUNTAIN) INC. TMX - ANCHOR LOOP PROJECT KP/KL 310.1 to KP/KL 326 Township 49, Range 26, W5M Township 49, Range 27, W5M Township 50, Range 26, W5M Prepared by: R & W ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSULTING LTD. In Association with: FINAL REPORT PERMIT 05-259 TERA Environmental Consultants Suite 1100, 815 - 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 3P2 Westland Resource Group Inc. #203, 830 Shamrock Street Victoria, British Columbia V8X 2V1 November 2005 3739 Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. HRIA - AB TMX - Anchor Loop Project November 2005 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY With the TMX - Anchor Loop Project (the “Project”) Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. (“Terasen Pipelines”) proposes to loop a portion of its existing National Energy Board (“NEB”) regulated oil pipeline system (the “Trans Mountain pipeline” or “Trans Mountain”) to increase the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline to meet growing shipper demand. The Project involves the construction of 158 km of 812 mm or 914 mm (32-inch or 36-inch) diameter pipe between a location west of Hinton, Alberta at Kilometre Post/Kilometre Loop (“KP/KL") 310.1 and a location near Rearguard, British Columbia (BC) (KP/KL 468.0). The Project also includes the installation of two new pump stations at locations along the Trans Mountain pipeline, one in Alberta at Wolf (KP 188.0) and one in BC, at Chappel (KP 555.5), and the installation of associated aboveground facilities including block valves at several locations and a receiving trap for pipeline cleaning and inspection tools at a location near Rearguard, BC (KP/KL 468.0). Construction of the Project will require temporary construction camps and other temporary work yards. The Project will traverse federal, provincial and private lands, including Jasper National Park (JNP) in Alberta and Mount Robson Provincial Park (MRPP) in BC. This report represents one of two Historical Resources Impact Assessments (HRIAs) completed for the Alberta portion of the Project that traverses Alberta Crown land and federal lands in JNP. A separate Archaeological Impact Assessment has been prepared for the BC portion. Historical Resources Act clearance will be requested under a separate application to Alberta Community Development for the Wolf Pump Station site. The HRIA was conducted along the 16 km long Proposed Route of the Project outside JNP as well as approximately 2.5 km along the Existing Route. The HRIA consisted of a ground reconnaissance and shovel testing program of the project footprint. This reconnaissance revealed the majority of the project utilizes existing linear disturbances from previous oil and gas activity and power line construction. No previously recorded archaeological sites were revisited during the assessment, four had been documented near the Project but have since been destroyed, given an HRV of 0, and were not relocated during this assessment. A total of 104 shovel tests were excavated along both routes to examine for the presence of subsurface sites, all proved negative for cultural materials. As well, six deep tests (~175 centimetres below surface (cmbs) were conducted at the easternmost crossing of Drystone Creek. All sites tested negative for cultural materials. As approximately 50% of the Project will utilize existing linear disturbance and all testing proved negative for cultural materials, no further work is recommended for this Project. As well, it is recommended that Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. be granted Historical Resources Act clearance for both the Proposed and the Existing routes of the Project outside of JNP. Page i Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. HRIA - AB TMX - Anchor Loop Project November 2005 CREDIT SHEET PERMIT HOLDER: Robert Wondrasek, M.A. FIELD PERSONNEL: Robert Wondrasek, M.A. Charles Sargent, B.A. REPORT: Robert Wondrasek, M.A. Wanda Lewis Page ii Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. HRIA - AB TMX - Anchor Loop Project November 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... I 1.0 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project Description.............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 HRIA Philosophy................................................................................................................. 3 2.0 METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................................. 3 3.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 3 3.1 General Environment ..........................................................................................................3 3.2 Project Specific Environment .............................................................................................. 4 3.3 Archaeological Overview .................................................................................................... 8 3.3.1 Archaeological Record of the Area ........................................................................ 9 3.4 Site File Search................................................................................................................. 10 4.0 RESULTS....................................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 Ground Reconnaissance .................................................................................................. 10 4.2 Previously Recorded Sites................................................................................................ 12 4.3 Historic Sites ..................................................................................................................... 12 5.0 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................... 13 6.0 REFERENCES CITED................................................................................................................... 13 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 TMX - Anchor Loop Project................................................................................................. 2 Figure 2 Location of Study Area within Natural Regions of Alberta.................................................. 5 Figure 3 Reconnaissance Strategy and Previously Recorded Sites .............................................. 11 LIST OF PLATES Plate 1 View southwest of the existing utility corridor which includes the Existing Trans Mountain pipeline...................................................................................................... 6 Plate 2 View northwest of disturbed location within the Project area.............................................. 6 Plate 3 View southeast of abandoned gravel pit to be used as a construction camp..................... 7 Plate 4 View west of the Proposed crossing of Drystone Creek (KL325.0).................................... 7 Plate 5 View west of braided channel, tributary to Maskuta Creek................................................. 8 Plate 6 View of “phone booth” used to assess deep deposits in the vicinity of Drystone Creek. ................................................................................................................ 12 Page iii Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. HRIA - AB TMX - Anchor Loop Project November 2005 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ACD Alberta Community Development BC British Columbia B.P. Before Present cmbs centimetres below surface HRIA Historical Resources Impact Assessment HRV Historical Resources Value JNP Jasper National Park KP Kilometre Post KL Kilometre Loop MRPP Mount Robson Provincial Park NEB National Energy Board NEB Act National Energy Board Act Page iv Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. HRIA - AB TMX - Anchor Loop Project November 2005 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Description With the TMX - Anchor Loop Project (the “Project”) Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. (“Terasen Pipelines”) proposes to loop a portion of its existing National Energy Board (“NEB”) regulated oil pipeline system (the “Trans Mountain pipeline” or “Trans Mountain”) to increase the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline to meet growing shipper demand. The Project involves the construction of 158 km of 812 mm or 914 mm (32-inch or 36-inch) diameter pipe between a location west of Hinton, Alberta at Kilometre Post/Kilometre Loop (“KP/KL") 310.1 and a location near Rearguard, British Columbia (BC) (KP/KL 468.0). The Project also includes the installation of two new pump stations at locations along the Trans Mountain pipeline, one in Alberta at Wolf (KP 188.0) and one in BC, at Chappel (KP 555.5), and the installation of associated aboveground facilities including block valves at several locations and a receiving trap for pipeline cleaning and inspection tools at a location near Rearguard, BC (KP/KL 468.0) (Figure 1). Construction of the Project will require temporary construction camps and other temporary work yards. The Project will traverse federal, provincial and private lands, including Jasper National Park (JNP) in Alberta and Mount Robson Provincial Park (MRPP) in BC. At the request of TERA Environmental Consultants