www.gemtec.ca Appendix J VEC Effects of the Environment on the Project experience • knowledge • integrity TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 RATIONALE FOR THE VALUED ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT (VEC) ..................... 1 2.0 BOUNDARIES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ASSESSMENT.......................... 3 2.1 Spatial Boundaries ....................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Temporal Boundaries ................................................................................................... 3 3.0 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................... 4 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ................................................................ 5 4.1 Climate Conditions ....................................................................................................... 5 4.2 Climate Change ........................................................................................................... 5 4.3 Sea Level Rise and Flooding ....................................................................................... 6 4.4 Erosion and Mass Wasting .......................................................................................... 6 4.5 Seismic Activity ............................................................................................................ 6 4.6 Natural Forest Fires ..................................................................................................... 6 4.7 Contaminated Sites ...................................................................................................... 7 4.8 Sulphide Bearing Rock ................................................................................................ 7 5.0 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL PROJECT INTERACTIONS .................................................. 8 5.1 Construction Phase Potential Effects ........................................................................... 8 5.1.1 Climate Conditions ................................................................................................ 8 5.1.2 Climate Change .................................................................................................... 8 5.1.3 Sea-Level Rise and Flooding ................................................................................ 8 5.1.4 Erosion and Mass Wasting ................................................................................... 8 5.1.5 Seismic Activity ..................................................................................................... 8 5.1.6 Natural Forest Fires .............................................................................................. 9 5.1.7 Contaminated Sites............................................................................................... 9 5.1.8 Sulphide Bearing Rock ......................................................................................... 9 5.2 Operational and Maintenance Phase Potential Effects ................................................. 9 5.2.1 Climate Conditions ................................................................................................ 9 5.2.2 Climate Change .................................................................................................... 9 5.2.3 Sea-Level Rise and Flooding ................................................................................ 9 5.2.4 Erosion and Mass Wasting ..................................................................................10 5.2.5 Seismic Activity ....................................................................................................10 5.2.6 Natural Forest Fires .............................................................................................10 5.2.7 Sulphide Bearing Rock ........................................................................................10 6.0 PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES .......................................................................... 11 7.0 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANT RESIDUAL EFFECTS ................................. 14 8.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 15 Report to: New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure ii Project: 6921.44-R01 (June 25, 2018) LIST OF TABLES Table J-1 Summary of Mitigation Measures for Effects of the Environment on the Project ...... 12 LIST OF ATTACHMENTS J-1 Sea-Level Rise Estimates J-2 Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory Mapping Report to: New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure iii Project: 6921.44-R01 (June 25, 2018) 1.0 RATIONALE FOR THE VALUED ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT (VEC) Effects of the environment considers naturally-occurring hazards or influences that could impact the Project. These impacts may be attributed to the physical site conditions or characteristics, natural land forms and/or climatic influences. The effects of the environment can be destructive to Project components, result in unforeseen costs, and/or delay the Project schedule. Proper identification and management of any potential effects of the environment are typically addressed during the planning and design phase of the Project. In order to assess the effects of the environment on the Project, eight components have been identified for this VEC: Climate Conditions are the long-term weather conditions of an area that are typically influenced by latitude, altitude and proximity to oceans. The climate conditions are measured by assessing the patterns of temperature, wind, precipitation, and other meteorological aspects; Climate Change is defined as the long-term shift in weather conditions measured by changes in temperature, precipitation, wind, snow cover, and changes in extreme weather conditions. Climate change is caused by natural processes (e.g., output of the sun, volcanic dust in the atmosphere, etc.) and by human activities (e.g., burning fossil fuels and increased greenhouse gas emissions) (NRCAN, 2017); Sea-Level Rise is expected to accelerate with climate change and climate warming. Threats in New Brunswick are primarily from the impacts of coastal flooding, erosion, damage from sea-ice movement, and storm surges in the winter (R.J. Daigle Enviro, 2017). It is estimated that sea-level rise and storm surges will increase over the next century in New Brunswick; Erosion and Mass Wasting is the downslope transport of material (i.e., soil, rock, waste) by water, wind, gravity, human manipulation, etc. Terrestrial erosion and mass wasting can be influenced by extreme weather events and / or ground disturbance; Seismic Activity refers to earthquakes, during which rocks break and slip along faults in the Earth. Seismic energy is released during these events, which can result in severe consequences, including the collapse of structures and large waves; Natural Forest Fires are hazards in any forested area; Contaminated Sites; in Canada, a site is considered contaminated when certain substances (e.g., petroleum product, metal, etc.) occur at concentrations above background levels, exceed levels specified in policies and regulations, and if the concentration of the contamination poses a risk to human health or the environment (FCSI, 2017); and Sulphide Bearing Rock and acid rock drainage arises when naturally occurring sulphide minerals in bedrock are exposed to oxygen and water to form sulphuric acid. The sulphide Report to: New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure 1 Project: 6921.44-R01 (June 25, 2018) minerals and sulphuric acid may discharge into groundwater, waterbodies and wetlands, increasing the acidity of these environmental features (NBDTI EMM, 2010). Report to: New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure 2 Project: 6921.44-R01 (June 25, 2018) 2.0 BOUNDARIES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ASSESSMENT 2.1 Spatial Boundaries The assessment of effects of the environment has been completed for one spatial boundary: The Project Area is defined as the footprint of ground disturbance required for the Project activities (PIDs 40381345, 40381337, 40437121, 40445330, 40495780, 40164808, portion of 40163826, portion of 40143083, portion of 40336240, and portion of 40437139). 2.2 Temporal Boundaries The assessment of the effects of the environment has been completed for the following temporal boundaries: The construction phase of the Project; and The operational and maintenance phase of the Project. Report to: New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure 3 Project: 6921.44-R01 (June 25, 2018) 3.0 METHODOLOGY A desktop review of existing information for effects of the environment was undertaken to determine the prevailing VEC conditions and any potential interactions with the Project. With respect to the EIA process, interactions or effects of the VEC, effects of the environment, on the Project have been identified and are discussed. Where residual effects are anticipated, the proposed methods for mitigating the potential effects have been presented. Report to: New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure 4 Project: 6921.44-R01 (June 25, 2018) 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 4.1 Climate Conditions The climate conditions of the Project Area are based upon Environment Canada’s climate normals recorded at the weather station at the Miramichi Airport (47.0095°, -65.4643°), located approximately 15.5 kilometres (km) east of the Project Area. Due to the proximity