ELKVIEW OPERATIONS: THE BALDY RIDGE EXTENSION PROJECT DESCRIPTION Submitted to: BC Environmental Assessment Office 1st Floor 836 Yates Street PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt Victoria, BC, V8W 9V1 Pursuant to: British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act Submitted by: Teck Coal Limited – Elkview Operations June 2014 June 2014 Teck Coal Limited – Elkview Operations: The Baldy Ridge Extension Project Description TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 PROPONENT INFORMATION .......................................................................... 1 1.1 Proponent Background ...................................................................................... 1 1.2 Key Proponent Contacts .................................................................................... 1 2 PROJECT INFORMATION ............................................................................... 3 2.1 Project History ................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Project Overview ............................................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Project Purpose and Rationale ................................................................ 4 2.2.2 Project Location ...................................................................................... 4 2.2.3 Project Description .................................................................................. 7 2.2.4 Project Capital Cost ................................................................................ 8 2.2.5 Project Person Years .............................................................................. 8 2.3 Deposit Geology and Resource Characterization .............................................. 9 2.3.1 Stratigraphy ............................................................................................ 9 2.3.2 Structure ............................................................................................... 10 2.4 Components and Infrastructure ....................................................................... 14 2.4.1 Conceptual Mine Plan and Schedule .................................................... 14 2.4.2 New or Upgraded Project Infrastructure ................................................ 30 2.4.3 Existing Infrastructure ........................................................................... 34 2.5 Waste Management ........................................................................................ 35 2.5.1 Mine Waste Disposal ............................................................................ 35 2.5.2 Mine Water Management ...................................................................... 36 2.6 Environmental Management ............................................................................ 37 2.7 Mine Reclamation, Closure, and Monitoring .................................................... 38 2.8 Alternatives ..................................................................................................... 40 3 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 41 3.1 Physical Environment ...................................................................................... 44 3.1.1 Air Quality ............................................................................................. 44 3.1.2 Noise .................................................................................................... 45 3.1.3 Surface Water Hydrology ...................................................................... 46 3.1.4 Water Quality ........................................................................................ 46 3.1.5 Surficial Geology ................................................................................... 47 3.1.6 Soils and Terrain ................................................................................... 47 3.2 Biological Environment .................................................................................... 48 3.2.1 Biogeoclimatic Zones and Ecosystems ................................................. 48 3.2.2 Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat ................................................................... 50 3.2.3 Fish and Fish Habitat ............................................................................ 51 3.2.4 Environmentally Sensitive Areas ........................................................... 52 3.3 Human Environment ........................................................................................ 60 3.3.1 Land Use and Tenure ........................................................................... 60 3.3.2 Visual Aesthetics ................................................................................... 62 3.3.3 Economics and Socio-Community Health ............................................. 63 3.3.4 Archaeological Resources .................................................................... 63 3.3.5 Aboriginal, Commercial and Recreational Fishery and Fishing Areas .................................................................................................... 64 4 POTENTIAL PROJECT-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS ............................ 65 5 CONSULTATION ............................................................................................ 71 5.1 First Nations .................................................................................................... 71 June 2014 i Teck Coal Limited – Elkview Operations: The Baldy Ridge Extension Project Description 5.2 Public .............................................................................................................. 72 5.3 Agencies ......................................................................................................... 73 5.4 Consultation Planning...................................................................................... 73 6 SUSTAINABILITY ........................................................................................... 74 7 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND REGULATORY TRIGGERS ..................................................................................................... 75 7.1 British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act ............................................ 75 7.2 Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012 .............................................. 75 7.3 Key Federal Approvals .................................................................................... 75 7.3.1 Fisheries Act ......................................................................................... 76 7.3.2 Navigable Waters Protection Act ........................................................... 76 7.4 Key Provincial and Municipal Permits and Approvals ...................................... 76 7.5 Proposed Environmental Assessment Schedule ............................................. 77 8 REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 79 8.1 Acts and Regulations....................................................................................... 82 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Elkview Operations Stratigraphy ......................................................... 9 Table 2 Baldy Ridge Phase Summary ........................................................... 16 Table 3 Adit Ridge Phase Summary.............................................................. 17 Table 4 Natal Ridge Phase Summary ........................................................... 18 Table 5 Representative Conceptual Mine Phases ......................................... 21 Table 6 Summary of Historical Measurements .............................................. 45 Table 7 Conservation Status Definitions ........................................................ 53 Table 8 BC and Federal Species Identified from the CDC Database, Status and Proximity to the Project Footprint or Terrestrial LSA ....... 54 Table 9 Species at Risk (SARA Schedule 1 and BC MOE Red, Blue, and Yellow-listed) That Occur, or May Occur in the Elk Valley ......... 56 Table 10 District Lots Within the Local Study Area .......................................... 61 Table 11 Preliminary Identification of Potential Project-Environment Interactions ....................................................................................... 66 Table 12 Provincial Permits and Approvals Likely Required for the Project .............................................................................................. 77 Table 13 Preliminary Environmental Assessment Schedule of Key Milestones for the Project ................................................................. 78 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Project Location .................................................................................. 5 Figure 2 Project Footprint and Existing Elkview Operations .............................. 6 Figure 3 Mist Mountain Formation – Coal Sequencing ................................... 10 Figure 4 Typical Cross Sections Showing Coal Sequencing through (a) Baldy Ridge and (b) Adit Ridge ........................................................ 11 Figure 5 Geographically Defined Areas of “Complex” Geology at EVO .......... 13 June 2014 ii Teck Coal Limited – Elkview Operations: The Baldy Ridge Extension Project Description Figure 6 Conceptual Mine Sequence Year 1 .................................................. 22 Figure 7 Conceptual Mine Sequence Year 5 .................................................. 23 Figure 8 Conceptual Mine Sequence Year 10 ...............................................