LINE CREEK OPERATIONS PHASE II ASSESSMENT REPORT With Respect to the Application by Teck Coal Limited for an Environmental Assessment Certificate pursuant to the Environmental Assessment Act, S.B.C. 2002, c.43 Prepared by: Environmental Assessment Office August 30, 2013 August 2013 Line Creek Operations Phase II Assessment Report Preface Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) manages the assessment of proposed major projects in British Columbia, as required by the Environmental Assessment Act. The process includes: • opportunities for the involvement of all interested parties; • consultations with First Nations; • technical studies to identify and examine potential significant adverse effects; • strategies to prevent, or reduce, adverse effects; and • development of comprehensive reports summarizing input and findings. At the conclusion of each Environmental Assessment (EA), EAO provides a comprehensive Assessment Report (Assessment Report), and makes recommendations to the Minister of Environment and to the Minister responsible for the project sector. The Ministers may decide to certify a project, decline to certify a project, or require further assessment. This Assessment Report considers the proposed Project’s potential to cause significant adverse environmental, economic, social, heritage and health effects. It identifies measures to prevent or reduce adverse effects, and sets out EAO’s analysis and conclusions. It also documents the work undertaken by EAO to consult and accommodate First Nations, in keeping with the Supreme Court of Canada's direction in Haida v. Minister of Forests and related case law. Information and records relating to EAs is available on EAO’s website at www.eao.gov.bc.ca. Questions or comments can be directed to: Environmental Assessment Office PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9V1 Phone: 250 356-7441 Fax: 250 387-2208 Email: [email protected] August 2013 Line Creek Operations Phase II Assessment Report Table of Contents SUMMARY OF THE ASSESSMENT REPORT .............................................................. 1 PART A – INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ......................................................... 1 1 Purpose of the Report ............................................................................................. 1 2 Project Overview ..................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Proponent Description .................................................................................... 2 2.2 Project Description and Scope ....................................................................... 2 2.3 Project Benefits .............................................................................................. 5 2.4 Project Land Use ............................................................................................ 6 3 Assessment Process .............................................................................................. 7 3.1 Provincial EA Process .................................................................................... 7 3.1.1 Pre-Application Stage .......................................................................... 7 3.1.2 Application Review Stage .................................................................... 9 3.2 Federal Environmental Assessment ............................................................... 9 3.3 Applicable Permits ........................................................................................ 10 3.4 First Nations Consultation ............................................................................ 10 3.5 Public Consultation ....................................................................................... 11 3.6 Canada / US Boundary Waters Treaty and BC / Montana Memorandum of Understanding .............................................................................................. 12 PART B – ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS, MITIGATION, AND SIGNIFICANCE OF RESIDUAL EFFECTS .......................................................... 13 4 General ................................................................................................................. 13 4.1 Assessment Methodology ............................................................................ 13 4.1.1 Methodology for Assessing Potential Significant Adverse Effects ..... 13 4.1.2 Determining whether significant adverse effects (if any) are justified ............................................................................................... 14 4.1.3 Ensuring the Crown’s duties to consult and accommodate First Nations are met ................................................................................. 15 4.2 Valued Components ..................................................................................... 15 4.3 Spatial Boundaries ....................................................................................... 15 August 2013 Line Creek Operations Phase II Assessment Report 4.4 Temporal Boundaries ................................................................................... 16 4.5 Cumulative Impacts ...................................................................................... 16 5 Assessment of Potential Environmental Effects .................................................... 18 5.1 Water Quality and Aquatic Health ................................................................ 18 5.1.1 Background Information ..................................................................... 18 5.1.2 Canada US Boundary Waters Treaty ................................................ 19 5.1.3 Valued Components .......................................................................... 22 5.1.4 Local Study Area and Regional Study Area ....................................... 22 5.1.5 Temporal Boundaries......................................................................... 24 5.1.6 Water Quality Baseline Values .......................................................... 24 5.1.7 Sediment Quality Baseline Values ..................................................... 27 5.1.8 Water Quality Modeling Used to Predict Potential Effects ................. 28 5.1.9 Screening ........................................................................................... 29 5.1.10 Assessment Methodology for Aquatic Health Effects From Selenium ............................................................................................ 29 5.1.11 Assessment Methodology for Aquatic Health Effects Related to Cadmium, DOC, Nitrate, Phosphorus, Sulphate and TDS ................. 29 5.1.12 Magnitude Determination ................................................................... 30 5.1.13 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified in the Application ................................................................................... 31 5.1.14 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified During Application Review ................................................................. 38 5.1.15 Potential for Residual Effects and Significance Analysis ................... 53 5.1.16 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 61 5.2 Fish and Fish Habitat ................................................................................... 62 5.2.1 Background Information ..................................................................... 62 5.2.2 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified in the Application ................................................................................... 64 5.2.3 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified During Application Review ................................................................. 68 5.2.4 Potential for Residual Effects and Significance Analysis ................... 74 5.2.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 77 August 2013 Line Creek Operations Phase II Assessment Report 5.3 Vegetation and Wildlife ................................................................................. 78 5.3.1 Background Information ..................................................................... 78 5.3.2 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified in the Application ................................................................................... 84 5.3.3 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified During Application Review ................................................................. 92 5.3.4 Potential For Residual Effects and Significance Analysis .................. 93 5.3.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 95 6 Assessment of Potential Economic Effects ........................................................... 96 6.1 Economic Effects .......................................................................................... 96 6.1.1 Background Information ..................................................................... 96 6.1.2 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified in the Application ................................................................................. 100 6.1.3 Project Issues and Effects and Proposed Mitigation Identified During Application Review ............................................................... 104 6.1.4 Potential for Residual Effects ..........................................................