Review of the Nova Gas Transmission Line North Corridor Expansion Project Environmental and Social Effects Assessment Technical Report Prepared in Collaboration with: Melanie Daniels Consultation Coordinator Louis Bull Tribe Maskwacis, Alberta 10714 - 124 Street NW, Edmonton, AB, Canada T5M 0H1 December 5, 2019 5 December 2019 Melanie Daniels Consultation Coordinator Louis Bull First Nation Maskwacis, Alberta Dear Ms. Daniels; Re: Review of the Nova Gas Transmission Line (NGTL) North Corridor Expansion Project Environmental and Social Effects Assessment Technical Report Please find attached the technical report for Louis Bull Tribe’s Written Evidence submission to the NGTL North Corridor Expansion Project. The report provides a scientific overview of the potential environmental sensitivities raised as concerns by the Louis Bull Tribe that are relevant to the NGTL North Corridor Expansion Project Environmental and Social Effects Assessment Technical Report. We summarize the scientific and technical information related to the pipeline expansion and conclude with recommendations on how this could be completed based on our reported materials. Please contact the undersigned if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Solstice Canada Corp. Johnathan Potter, B.Sc., P.Ag. Louise Versteeg, B.Sc., P.Biol. Sr. Environmental Scientist Sr. Terrestrial and Wetland Ecologist (Reviewer) Brianna Lorentz, B.Sc. Environmental Scientist | i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 2. Review Objectives ............................................................................................................................................. 1 3. Review Findings ................................................................................................................................................ 2 3.1. Soil Survey .................................................................................................................................................... 2 3.1.1. Summary of ESA Content......................................................................................................................... 2 3.1.1. Evaluation and Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 3 3.2. Temporary Workspace .................................................................................................................................. 5 3.2.1. Summary of ESA Content......................................................................................................................... 5 3.2.2. Evaluation and Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 5 3.3. Permafrost..................................................................................................................................................... 5 3.3.1. Summary of ESA Content......................................................................................................................... 5 3.3.2. Evaluation and Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 7 3.4. Fisheries Act AMendment ............................................................................................................................. 7 3.4.1. Summary of ESA Content......................................................................................................................... 7 3.4.2. Evaluation and Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 10 3.5. Biophysical Survey ...................................................................................................................................... 10 3.5.1. Summary of ESA Content....................................................................................................................... 10 3.5.2. Evaluation and Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 10 3.6. Onsite Environmental Monitoring ................................................................................................................ 11 3.6.1. Summary of ESA Content....................................................................................................................... 11 3.6.2. Evaluation and Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 11 3.7. Watercourse Crossings ............................................................................................................................... 11 3.7.1. Summary of ESA Content....................................................................................................................... 11 3.7.2. Evaluations and Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 12 3.8. Reseeding of Vegetation ............................................................................................................................. 12 3.8.1. Summary of ESA Content....................................................................................................................... 12 3.8.2. Evaluation and Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 12 4. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 5. References ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Illustration of potentially misclassified soil polygons as wetlands .................................................................... 4 Figure 2. Red Earth Section 3 pipeline runs directly through and near where permafrost is predicted to be present. ... 6 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A. CVs of Report Contributors | ii 1. INTRODUCTION Solstice Environmental Management (Solstice) has been retained by Louis Bull Tribe (LBT) to conduct a technical review of the Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs) Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment (ESA) for the Proposed NOVA Gas Transmission LTD. (NGTL) North Corridor Expansion Project (the Project) and potential impacts to resources of concern to its community members. LBT was granted intervenor status and has had this technical report produced in support of the Written Evidence submission to the Canadian Energy Regulator (CER) and NGTL , the results of which are documented here. NGTL filed an application for the Project with the National Energy Board (NEB) on April 4, 2019 proposing additional construction and operation on the currently existing NGTL system. A list of intervenors for the Project was issued by the NEB on August 16th, 2019 and a hearing order was issued for the Project on August 19th, 2019. This hearing order describes the written hearing process which allows the opportunity for sharing oral Indigenous knowledge, provide written questions, and provide written argument on any proposed conditions. On August 28, 2019, the NEB transitioned into the CER which will continue the assessment of the Project under the National Energy Board Act and will be referenced throughout this report. The Project will serve to transport gas along 81 km of pipeline from the Peace River Project Area to North of Bens Area intra-basin markets and consists of three pipeline sections referred to as North Star Section 2 (~24 km), Red Earth Section 3 (~32 km), Bear Canyon North Extension (~25 km), and a compressor station unit addition referred to as the Hidden Lake North Unit Addition. It is expected that construction of the pipelines will take place during the third quarter of 2021 until the first quarter of 2022 and the construction of the Hidden Lake North Unit Addition will take place from the first quarter of 2021 until the first quarter of 2022. The scope of this review was framed by the concerns of the Louis Bull Tribe. Although the Louis Bull Tribe is a Treaty 6 Nation and the Project will occur in Treaty 8 territory, Indigenous Nations have historically utilized the landscape without being confined to specific areas defined by borders. Additionally, of significant concern is the impact of cumulative effects that have incurred in Treaty 6 lands, which have inhibited Traditional practices. For instance, wild game has become increasingly difficult to find and private ownership of land has created barriers to accessing cultural sites. Thus, members of Louis Bull have had to travel further from the reserve lands within Treaty 6 to engage in Traditional practices in other areas such as Treaty 8, which is less fragmented by development and offer more areas and opportunities for Traditional practices to take place. However, if development continues to expand without due consideration for cumulative effects, there is considerable concern from the Louis Bull Tribe that there will be continued erosion of the ability for Indigenous Nations to engage in and practice their Traditional way of life. The inability to engage in Traditional practices has impacts that are of major concern to the Louis