July 31, 2014 TransCanada Corporation 450 – 1st Street S.W. Calgary, AB, Canada T2P 5H1 Brian Bawtinheimer Parks Planning and Management Branch www.transcanada.com Parks and Protected Areas Division PO Box 9398 Stn Prov Gov Victoria, BC V8W 9M9 Dear Sir: Re: Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project (Project) Stage 2 Application to Adjust the Boundaries of the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Ltd. files with BC Parks the attached the Stage 2 Application to Adjust the Boundaries of the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park for the Project. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact me at (403) 920-7385. Sincerely, Marilyn Carpenter Director, Environmental and Regulatory Permitting Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Ltd. Stage 2 Park Boundary Adjustment Application Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park PRGT0004776-TC-BCP-RE-VA-0002 July 31, 2014 Rev 0 Revision 0 Final PRGT004776-TC-BCP-RE-VA-0002 July 31, 2014 Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Ltd. Stage 2 Park Boundary Adjustment Application Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 APPLICATION .......................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 PROJECT OVERVIEW AND ANTICIPATED PROJECT SCHEDULE .................................... 3 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE MEMORIAL PARK AND ITS VALUES ............................................. 4 3.1 Role and Goals ...................................................................................................4 3.2 Park Zones .........................................................................................................5 4.0 NISGA’A NATION ..................................................................................................................... 7 4.1 Early Nisga’a Nation Consultation ....................................................................8 4.2 Nisga’a Consultation through the Stage 2 Development ...................................9 5.0 THE PROJECT WITHIN THE MEMORIAL PARK ................................................................. 10 5.1 Project Footprint ..............................................................................................10 5.1.1 Project Footprint ............................................................................10 5.1.2 Project Footprint and the Nisga’a Highway ...................................10 5.1.3 Access ............................................................................................10 5.1.4 Ancillary Facilities .........................................................................11 5.1.5 Cathodic Protection ........................................................................11 5.2 Project Phases and Considerations ...................................................................11 5.2.1 Pre-Construction (planning and design) ........................................12 5.2.2 Project Construction in the Memorial Park ...................................12 Areas of Special Consideration ......................................................13 5.2.3 Post-Construction (reclamation) ....................................................14 5.2.4 Operations within the Memorial Park ............................................15 5.2.5 Maintenance within the Memorial Park .........................................15 5.2.6 Emergency Preparedness and Response within the Memorial Park ...............................................................................16 6.0 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES ........................................................... 17 6.1 General Route Selection Criteria .....................................................................17 6.2 Rationale for routing the project in the park ....................................................18 6.2.1 Route Alternatives Review ............................................................19 Route Options to Avoid the Memorial Park ..................................19 6.2.2 Route Options through the Memorial Park ....................................20 7.0 DESCRIPTION OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AND MITIGATION ............................................................................................................................ 23 7.1 Economic .........................................................................................................23 7.1.1 Contribution to the British Columbia Economy ............................24 Revision 0 Final PRGT004776-TC-BCP-RE-VA-0002 July 31, 2014 Page i Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Ltd. Stage 2 Park Boundary Adjustment Application Contents Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park 7.1.2 Nisga’a Citizens Economic Opportunities and Revenue within the Memorial Park ..............................................................24 Outdoor Recreation Revenue within the Memorial Park ...............25 Potential Effects for Nisga’a Citizen’s Economic Opportunities..................................................................................25 7.2 Social................................................................................................................26 7.2.1 Infrastructure and Services and Transportation .............................26 Mitigation .......................................................................................27 7.2.2 Visual Quality ................................................................................28 7.2.3 Heritage and Archaeological Resources ........................................30 Park Dedication Site ......................................................................32 7.2.4 Recreational and Cultural Activities and Practices ........................32 7.3 Environmental Effects .....................................................................................33 7.3.1 Freshwater Aquatic Resources .......................................................33 Ksi Sii Aks .....................................................................................34 Vetter Creek ...................................................................................35 Ksi Ts’oohl Ts’ap ..........................................................................36 7.3.2 Water Quality and Hydrology ........................................................38 7.3.3 Management of Wildlife ................................................................39 Environmental Effects to Wildlife .................................................43 Mitigations .....................................................................................43 Change in Habitat ..........................................................................43 Change in Mortality Risk ...............................................................44 Change in Movement .....................................................................45 7.3.4 Vegetation ......................................................................................45 7.3.5 Atmospheric Environment .............................................................48 7.3.6 Acoustic Environment ...................................................................48 8.0 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFECTED BY PROJECT ............................................................. 49 9.0 KNOWN COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH INTERESTS IN THE AFFECTED AREA ............... 50 10.0 POTENTIAL PARK ATTRIBUTE ENHANCEMENTS ............................................................ 51 REFERENCES ..............................................................................52 PRGT004776-TC-BCP-RE-VA-0002 Final Revision 0 Page ii July 31, 2014 Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Ltd. Stage 2 Park Boundary Adjustment Application Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park Contents LIST OF TABLES Table 7-1: PRGT Project’s Influence on Gross Domestic Product in British Columbia ........ 24 Table 7-2: Fish found in Watersheds within the Memorial Park that Cross the Pipeline (Proposed Alignment) ..................................................................................... 34 Table 7-3: Species with Potential to Occur in the Memorial Park and Associated Conservation Status ........................................................................................ 40 Table 7-4: Wildlife Habitat Ratings for sample plots in the Memorial Park .......................... 42 LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS Photo 7-1: Looking North into the Memorial Park from Gitwinksihlkw Bridge (July 5, 2013) .................................................................................................. 33 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A ....................................................................................... Project Route Overview Appendix B ........................................................................ Report of Consultation Activities Appendix C ........................................................................................ Proposed Project ROW Appendix D .................................................................................. Sketches of Pipe Crossings Appendix E ................................................................................ Park Route and Alternatives Revision 0 Final PRGT004776-TC-BCP-RE-VA-0002 July 31, 2014 Page iii Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Ltd. Stage 2 Park Boundary Adjustment Application Section 1 Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park Application 1.0 APPLICATION Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Ltd. (PRGT) is proposing to construct and operate a sweet natural gas pipeline (Project) from a point near Hudson’s Hope, BC, to the proposed