SECTION 1: People Overview Subsection 1.0: Table of Contents 1 VOLUME OVERVIEW Table of Contents 1.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................1-1 1.1.1 VOLUME CONTENT...............................................................................................1-1 1.1.2 COMPONENT ORGANIZATION ...........................................................................1-1 1.2 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................1-3 1.2.1 LITERATURE CITED ..............................................................................................1-3 ♦ July 2005 Page 1-i VOLUME 9 SECTION 1: People Overview Subsection 1.1: Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 VOLUME CONTENT The People volume of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Imperial Oil Resources Ventures Limited (Imperial Oil) Kearl Oil Sands Project – Mine Development (the Kearl project) provides an assessment of the potential effects of the project on resource use, historical resources, socio-economics and traditional land use. The assessment addresses all relevant sections of the EIA Terms of Reference (TOR) from Alberta Environment (AENV 2004) (see Volume 1, Appendix A). For a concordance table that lists the location in the EIA where each item in the TOR is addressed, see Volume 4, Appendix 1. 1.1.2 COMPONENT ORGANIZATION The assessment of the project’s effects on people has been divided into four components: • Resource Use • Historical Resources • Socio-Economics • Traditional Land Use The following information is provided in the People volume of this EIA: • Introduction – see Section 1 • Approach – see Section 2 • Resource Use – see Section 3 • Historical Resources – see Section 4 • Socio-Economics – see Section 5 • Traditional Land Use – see Section 6 • Resource Use Technical Appendix – see Appendix 3 • Socio-Economics Technical Appendix– see Appendix 5 ♦ July 2005 Page 1-1 VOLUME 9 SECTION 1: Volume Overview Subsection 1.2: Bibliography 1.2 Bibliography 1.2.1 LITERATURE CITED AENV (Alberta Environment). 2004. Final Terms of Reference: Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the Propos./,ed Imperial Oil Resources Kearl Oil Sands Project. Issued by Alberta Environment, April 22, 2004. ♦ July 2005 Page 1-3 VOLUME 9 SECTION 2: People Approach Subsection 2.0: Table of Contents 2 APPROACH Table of Contents 2.1 ASSESSMENT CASES....................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1 CASE DESCRIPTION ..............................................................................................2-1 2.2 SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CONSIDERATIONS ...................................................2-3 2.2.1 STUDY AREAS ........................................................................................................2-3 2.2.1.1 Resource Use Study Areas ................................................................................ 2-3 2.2.1.2 Historical Resources Study Areas ..................................................................... 2-3 2.2.1.3 Socio-Economics Study Areas .......................................................................... 2-4 2.2.1.4 Traditional Land Use Study Areas .................................................................... 2-4 2.2.2 TIME SNAPSHOTS..................................................................................................2-4 2.2.2.1 Resource Use Temporal Periods ....................................................................... 2-4 2.2.2.2 Historical Resources Time Periods ................................................................... 2-4 2.2.2.3 Socio-Economics Time Periods ........................................................................ 2-4 2.2.2.4 Traditional Land Use Time Periods .................................................................. 2-4 2.3 METHODS .......................................................................................................................2-7 2.3.1 ASSESSMENT METHODS OVERVIEW ...............................................................2-7 2.3.1.1 Resource Use Methods...................................................................................... 2-7 2.3.1.2 Historical Resources Methods........................................................................... 2-7 2.3.1.3 Socio-Economic Methods ................................................................................. 2-7 2.3.1.4 Traditional Land Use Methods.......................................................................... 2-8 2.4 KEY QUESTIONS...........................................................................................................2-9 2.4.1 KEY QUESTION OVERVIEW................................................................................2-9 2.4.1.1 Resource Use Key Questions ............................................................................ 2-9 2.4.1.2 Historical Resources Key Questions ................................................................. 2-9 2.4.1.3 Socio-Economics Key Questions ...................................................................... 2-9 2.4.1.4 Traditional Land Use Key Questions .............................................................. 2-10 2.5 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................................2-11 2.5.1 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................2-11 ♦ July 2005 Page 2-i VOLUME 9 SECTION 2: People Approach Subsection 2.1: Assessment Cases 2.1 Assessment Cases 2.1.1 CASE DESCRIPTION The development cases addressed in the People portion of the EIA include the Existing and Approved Case (EAC), the Project Case and the Potential Development Case (PDC). The cases provide information for assessing the potential effects of the Kearl project and also, the incremental effects of the Kearl project on people in relation to other developments. For a complete list of all developments included in the EAC and PDC, see Volume 4, Table 2-1. The EAC defines the basis to which the Kearl project will be compared. It includes the existing conditions, as well as changes that could occur based on future activities of existing and approved but not yet built developments. The Project Case assesses the effects of the Kearl project combined with existing and approved developments. The PDC assesses the effects of existing and approved developments, the Kearl project, plus other potential developments that have been publicly disclosed. The developments included in the PDC assessment may or may not proceed. In addition, the scope and size of the potential developments could change with final design and approvals. ♦ July 2005 Page 2-1 VOLUME 9 SECTION 2: People Approach Subsection 2.2: Spatial and Temporal Considerations 2.2 Spatial and Temporal Considerations 2.2.1 STUDY AREAS 2.2.1.1 Resource Use Study Areas Resource use regional study areas (RSAs) were selected to assess the potential effects of the project on users of key resources, including: • aggregate resources • agriculture • forest resources • wildlife (hunting and trapping) • fish resources (fishing) • designated ecological areas • recreation and tourism • access • aesthetics The RSAs varied in shape and area with the resource in question. The local study area (LSA) for resource use and visual aesthetics corresponds to the outer boundary of the project development area (PDA) for the Kearl project and the Kearl project leases. 2.2.1.2 Historical Resources Study Areas The historical resources RSA is defined by the Muskeg River drainage system, including Jackpine (Hartley) Creek, Kearl Lake and surrounding wetlands. The basis for using this drainage system is that cultural homogeneity is assumed to be greater in areas with similar environmental characteristics, especially when linked by features that provide connected travel corridors. Thus, to compare interpretive value of historical resource sites in the Kearl project area with sites in the RSA, sites with similar environmental features were selected. The unit used to delineate the historical resources in the RSA is the Borden Block, part of the classification system for the Canadian archaeological database. Based on subdivisions of 10’ latitude by 10’ longitude, it is the basis for defining historical resource site location. The RSA falls across 17 Borden Block units, ranging between 56° 50’N and 57° 30’N, and 111° 0’W and 111°50’W. The historical resources LSA corresponds to the PDA. July 2005 Page 2-3 VOLUME 9 Section 2: People Approach 2.2.1.3 Socio-Economics Study Areas The study area for the Socio-economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) includes the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) and the First Nations’ reserves within its boundaries. The project’s fiscal and economic impacts are discussed in a provincial or national context. 2.2.1.4 Traditional Land Use Study Areas A broad RSA was delineated, encompassing the core area that the Aboriginal participants perceived to be subject to impact from oil sands development. For all Aboriginal communities assessed, the LSA was defined as the PDA. 2.2.2 TIME SNAPSHOTS 2.2.2.1 Resource Use Temporal Periods The baseline, construction and operations, and post-closure periods of the Kearl project were assessed for resource use. Progressive mining and reclamation of the project was considered when examining potential effects. All other