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4
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN
4.1
Introduction
SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN
This Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) describes conceptual environmental protection measures that will limit the environmental disturbances associated with the project’s design and construction. In addition to being suitable for design and construction, these conceptual environmental protection measures can be used for project activities during preconstruction, construction, operations and reclamation, and for all project components, including: • • • • • •
anchor fields, including well sites, production facilities and flow lines gathering pipelines and the gas pipeline access roads facility sites infrastructure sites borrow sites
The EPP has been prepared to: •
support the potential environmental and social impacts identified in Volume 5, Biophysical Impact Assessment and Volume 6, Socio-Economic Impact Assessment
•
identify preliminary project environmental mitigation measures to support project engineering design and construction planning
The conceptual environmental planning and implementation measures were developed in conjunction with the environmental management information presented in Section 3, Environmental Management Plans, and the mitigation measures described in Volume 5, Biophysical Impact Assessment and Volume 6, Socio-Economic Assessment. The environmental impact assessment is based on the assumption that these conceptual protection measures would be incorporated in the project. Industry references consulted during EPP preparation include:
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•
Watercourse Crossings (Canadian Pipeline Watercourse Crossing Committee 1999)
•
Environmental Operating Practices for the Upstream Petroleum Industry – Alberta Operations. Pipeline Volume (Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers 1999a)
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Environmental Operating Practices for the Upstream Petroleum Industry – Alberta Operations. Production Volume (Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers 1999b)
Although the EPP does not cover project operations, the environmental protection measures presented provide a foundation for developing and implementing environmental management practices for project operations in the future. The EPP applies to any season and to construction in both frozen and unfrozen ground conditions. It is expected that the environmental protection measures described in this conceptual EPP will evolve as engineering design advances and site conditions are better understood. More site-specific environmental protection measures will then be formulated. 4.2
Notification of Concerned Parties Table 4-1 lists the notifications that the proponents are responsible for making before and during construction. This is to ensure that community, government and industry parties, identified as being affected by the project, are informed of the construction activities and schedule. Table 4-1: Contacts and Notification Requirements Contact Federal Authorities
Notification Requirements • Notify the applicable federal agencies, e.g., National Energy Board
and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, before construction begins. Contact will be maintained until project completion. • Notify the applicable authorities, e.g., Fisheries and Oceans
Canada (DFO), if instream blasting at water crossings is necessary. Territorial Authorities
• Notify the applicable Government of the Northwest Territories,
Provincial Authorities
• Notify the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and Alberta
Local Authorities
• Notify the applicable local authorities, e.g., land and water boards
Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich’in Settlement Area, Sahtu Settlement Area, Deh Cho Region, and Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board authorities before construction begins. Contact will be maintained within each jurisdiction until project completion. Sustainable Resource Development’s Land and Forest Division before construction begins in northwestern Alberta. Contact will be maintained until project completion. and private land administrators, before construction begins. Contact will be maintained until project completion.
Communities
• Notify community leaders before construction begins near their
community, to inform them of construction details. Contact will be maintained until project completion.
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Table 4-1: Contacts and Notification Requirements (cont’d) Contact Land and Resource Users
Notification Requirements • Notify the applicable hunter and trapper associations, hunter and
trapper committees, renewable resource councils and registered trappers of pipeline routes and construction schedules, before construction begins. • Notify commercial and traditional guides and outfitters in the
project area of the proposed route and construction schedule, before construction begins. • Notify boaters and snowmobile users of the hazards associated
with instream construction, as directed by the conditions of navigable waters permits. Place warning signs upstream and downstream of crossings. Where warranted, place signs at boat launches and notices in local newspapers. Government of the Northwest Territories
• Notify the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of
Local Authorities
• Notify the applicable government agencies, e.g., the Government
Transportation before installing the pipeline across the Mackenzie Highway or the winter road between Wrigley and Fort Good Hope. of the Northwest Territories, RWED, before conducting any burning.
Water Users
• Notify the applicable land and water boards before starting water
crossing construction, withdrawing water for domestic and industrial use, and disposing of hydrostatic test water and grey water from camps. Third Parties
• Notify applicable companies, e.g., Enbridge, for road and foreign
line crossings, if required by conditions levied in the crossing and road use agreements.
4.3
General Environmental Protection Measures Table 4-2 lists general protection measures that the proponents and construction contractors might implement to avoid or reduce environmental disturbance. These are followed by potential protection measures for various construction activities. Table 4-2: Project Activities and Associated Protection Measures Subject
Environmental Protection Measures
Environmental Protection Plan and Contracts
• Specifications and procedures will be developed from the
Construction Documents
• Before construction begins, the contractor and proponents’
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Environmental Protection Plan and will be included in the contract documents. Protection measures and applicable information from the project environmental alignment sheets will be integrated into the construction drawings. A process for issue resolution will be in place if any conflict arises between contract and Environmental Protection Plan requirements. inspectors will be provided with all specifications and procedures developed from the Environmental Protection Plan, and copies of environmental alignment sheets and all approvals, including the most recent updates and revisions. Page 4-3
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Table 4-2: Project Activities and Associated Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Discipline
Environmental Protection Measures • Suitable disciplinary action, up to and including termination, will be
taken if personnel do not comply with the Environmental Protection Plan and project specifications and procedures. Licences and Permits
• All necessary licences and permits required for a particular anchor
Community and Government Liaison
• A representative of the proponents, e.g., environmental inspector,
Pre-Construction Meetings
• Before construction begins on each pipeline spread and
field, pipeline spread or construction site will be obtained before construction of that site or spread. The project will meet all conditions attached to licences and approvals. Inconsistencies among the conditions of different permits will be rectified, to the extent possible, before construction. will be responsible for regular liaison with all applicable community and government field representatives about environmental matters. construction site, a meeting will be held with the proponents’ technical experts, government representatives and the applicable contractor. Key government representatives will be invited to this meeting as required. The meeting is designed to remind supervisory construction personnel of: safety issues cultural and environmental issues general socio-economic, cultural and environmental concerns management and contingency plans rules and regulations applicable to the construction sites • The proponents’ representatives will ensure that the Environmental Protection Plan is implemented during all phases of construction, e.g., clearing and grading, constructing watercourse crossings and cleanup. • • • • •
Environmental Inspection
• Environmental monitors, as required, will assist the proponents’
representatives in applying the Environmental Protection Plan during construction and drilling. Orientation
• Construction personnel and visitors will receive suitable safety,
cultural and environmental orientation before visiting the anchor fields, pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites. Scheduling
• Right-of-way and site preparation work will be conducted during
frozen or dry conditions, to reduce impacts to the ground surface. • Travel on the rights-of-way and winter roads will be restricted if
damage to the ground surface is likely. • See Table 4-3 for information about sensitive periods for fish in
watercourses crossed by pipelines in the Northwest Territories. The proponents will seek authorization to work during instream restricted activity periods, as required. • See Table 4-4 for instream restricted activity periods for
watercourses crossed in Alberta.
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SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN
Table 4-2: Project Activities and Associated Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject
Environmental Protection Measures
Management and Contingency Plans
• All management plans (see Section 3, Environmental
Warm or Wet Conditions
• The Warm or Wet Conditions Contingency Plan (Section 5.2.5) will
Management Plans) and contingency plans (see Section 5, Contingency Plans) will be reviewed with key construction and inspection personnel before construction starts. All key site personnel on the pipeline rights-of-way, anchor fields and other construction sites will be aware of these plans. be initiated if suitable reclamation is likely to be impeded by one of the following: • initiation of rutting • wheel slip in mud, i.e., loss of traction between the tire and the
travel surface • excessive buildup of mud on tires and cleats • formation of puddles • tracking of mud down the road as vehicles leave the pipeline
rights-of-way or construction sites • The proponents’ representatives, in consultation with the
contractor, will make the warm or wet conditions shutdown decision. Factors influencing a decision to postpone start-up or to shut down work include the: • weather forecast • construction schedule • availability of nonproblem areas, e.g., frozen areas
Transportation and Logistics Management
• Procedures for using vehicles on the pipeline rights-of-way,
Waste Management
• Procedures for handling, storing and disposing of waste are
Weeds
• Seed used for revegetating disturbed areas will be free, if feasible,
construction sites and associated access roads, and guidelines for inland waters, marine and air traffic associated with the project, are provided in Section 3.6, Transportation and Logistics Management. All project personnel, contractors and visitors will follow these guidelines. Excerpts from the Transportation and Logistics Management Plan will form part of the cultural and environmental orientation for all project personnel and visitors to the pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites. provided in Section 3.4, Waste Management and Section 4.4, Handling Waste. All project personnel, contractors and visitors will follow these guidelines. Litter disposal requirements will form part of the cultural and environmental orientation for all project personnel and visitors. of weed seeds. • All construction equipment will arrive in the project area in clean
condition, to reduce the risk of introducing weeds. Any equipment that arrives dirty, as determined by the proponents’ representative, will not be allowed on the pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites until it has been properly cleaned at a suitable location.
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Table 4-2: Project Activities and Associated Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Spill Prevention
Environmental Protection Measures • The contractor will take all reasonable measures to ensure that no
petroleum products or other hazardous materials are spilled on the ground or in any watercourse. • If a spill occurs, the Spills and Uncontrolled Releases Contingency
Plan (see Section 5.2.1) will be implemented. • Fuel and service vehicles will carry at least 10 kg of suitable
commercial sorbent material. • During construction, the contractor will have suitable spill
containment and cleanup materials readily available to respond to spills. At water crossings this could include sorbents, skimmers and booms, depending on site conditions. • The contractor will store bulk fuel, oil and all other hazardous
materials at least 100 m away from the high water mark of a watercourse or waterbody, or provide secure secondary containment. Equipment Refuelling, Servicing and Working Instream
• Hydraulic, fuel and lubrication systems of equipment used in water
crossing construction will be inspected to ensure that the systems are in good condition and free of leaks. Equipment to be used instream, or adjacent to a watercourse, will be free of external grease, oil or other fluids, excessive mud and dirt, before entering the waterbody and upon completion of instream activity. • An impervious tarp or a tray will be in place when servicing
equipment with the potential for accidental spills, e.g., oil changes, and servicing hydraulic systems. Where required, drip trays will be used under unattended idling vehicles. • Where practical, oil changes, refuelling and lubricating mobile
construction equipment will be conducted at least 100 m away from a waterbody or watercourse, to reduce the potential for water pollution. • Spent oils, lubricants, filters and other such waste will be collected
and disposed of according to the Waste Management Plan. • Where immobile equipment is required to operate within 100 m of
a watercourse or waterbody, the following measures will reduce the risk of fuel spills to water: • ensuring all containers, hoses and nozzles are leak-free • equipping all fuel nozzles with automatic shutoffs • returning fuel remaining in the hose to the storage facility • locating operators at both ends of a hose during fuelling, unless
the ends are visible and readily accessible by one operator • placing pumps used during isolated crossings within
impermeable berms • Operators and the on-site foreman will be trained to contain spills
or leaks from equipment.
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Table 4-2: Project Activities and Associated Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject
Environmental Protection Measures
Equipment Refuelling, Servicing and Working Instream (cont’d)
• All spills will be reported to the proponents’ representative as soon
Air Pollution and Noise
• Equipment will be well maintained. Air pollution prevention and
Roads, Access and Shooflies
• Construction activities will be confined to the allotted workspace.
Erosion and Siltation
• Soil erosion and water siltation will be prevented or controlled.
Wildlife
• Wildlife will not be harvested, harassed, harmed or fed.
as they have been detected. • Equipment and machinery will not be washed in watercourses or
waterbodies. noise suppression equipment will be serviced to the manufacturers’ specifications. Construction traffic will be restricted to existing roads, approved access roads, the pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites, and approved shooflies. All roads damaged by construction vehicles will be repaired to preconstruction conditions. Shooflies will be reclaimed where necessary. All traffic safety and road closure regulations will be followed.
Construction personnel, unless authorized, will not be permitted to have dogs or firearms while working on the pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites. • The recreational use of all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles by
construction personnel, while working on the pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites, will be prohibited. Any incidents or collisions with wildlife will be reported to the proponent’s representative, who will notify the local wildlife authorities and the local police department, as appropriate. • All animal incidents will be reported to the proponents’
representative or environmental monitor. The proponents’ representative or monitor will take the necessary action, in consultation with the applicable government agency. • The trench will be examined for trapped animals at the start of
each day and before conducting any activity, e.g., lowering-in or backfilling, which has the potential to harm an animal in the trench. • See Section 4.3.1 for a list of wildlife mitigation measures that
might be applied, as directed by the proponents’ representative. Beaver Dams
• The applicable government agencies, hunter and trapper
committees, hunter and trapper associations and renewable resource councils will be contacted for permission to remove beaver dams, where required. Vandalism and Theft
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• The vandalism or theft of trapping equipment, trapped animals,
cabins and all other private property is strictly prohibited. Violators will be immediately removed from the job site and reported to the RCMP.
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Table 4-2: Project Activities and Associated Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Fire Prevention
Environmental Protection Measures • The proponents will require contractor field personnel to
participate in safety, cultural and environmental training sessions, which will include instruction on the use of firefighting equipment. • Permission to burn will be obtained from the applicable authority,
before burning. No unauthorized open fires will be permitted. • The contractor will, for each pipeline spread or construction site,
ensure that a supervisor or foreman is suitably trained in fire suppression techniques, fire behaviour and fire line safety, and is familiar with firefighting techniques and equipment. This person will carry mobile communication equipment at all times, so that contact with the applicable authority is not delayed if a wildfire occurs. • No smoking will be permitted on the pipeline rights-of-way or
construction sites if the Ministry of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development rate the fire hazard as high. At these times, smoking will only be permitted within designated areas. • All personnel will be informed about proper disposal methods for
spent welding rods, cigarette butts and other hot or burning material. • Equipment exhaust and engine systems will be maintained in good
working condition. All equipment will be kept free of accumulations of oily material. • Slash burning crews will have firefighting equipment on hand that
is capable of controlling any fire that might result from their activities. • Burning slash will not be permitted when the fire hazard is high,
unless applicable regulators authorize it. If burning is delayed, slash will be stored along the edge of the pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites, in natural clearings, at cutline intersections or in approved push-outs. • If a wildfire occurs, the appropriate procedures will be
implemented and the proper authorities notified (see Section 5.2.2, Wildfires). Archaeological, Palaeontological or Historic Discovery
• Work will be suspended near archaeological, palaeontological or
historic sites discovered during construction. No work at those locations will continue until the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre or Alberta Community Development give permission. See Section 4.3.2 for options that could be implemented to reduce impacts to heritage resources. • The Heritage Resource Discovery contingency plan
(see Section 5.2.3) will be implemented if an archaeological, palaeontological or historic site is discovered.
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Table 4-3: Sensitive Periods for Fish – Northwest Territories
Watercourse
Location1
Watercourse Classification
Tentative Pipeline Crossing Method
Sensitive Periods2
Kumak Channel
Niglintgak flow line
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Aklak Channel
Niglintgak lateral N 2.2
Active I
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
Niglintgak lateral N 13.1
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
Niglintgak lateral N 14.4
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
Taglu lateral T 1.5
Active I
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Mackenzie River – Harry Channel
Taglu lateral T 1.6
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
Taglu lateral T 5.0
Active I
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed lake
Taglu lateral T 10.8
Lake
Isolated
Early May to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
Taglu Lateral T 35.4
Active I
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Mackenzie River – East Channel
Taglu lateral T 38.7–39.7
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Zed Creek
Parsons Lake flow line
Active I
Aerial
Mid-September to end of July
Zed Creek
Parsons Lake lateral P 1.2
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Hans Creek
Storm Hills lateral S 5.2
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
Storm Hills lateral S 23.4
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
KP 27.1
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
KP 31.6
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Travaillant River
KP 76.8
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
KP 84.2
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Thunder River
KP 155.0
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
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Table 4-3: Sensitive Periods for Fish – Northwest Territories (cont’d)
Watercourse
Location1
Watercourse Classification
Tentative Pipeline Crossing Method
Sensitive Periods2
Tieda River
KP 274.0
Large River
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Loon River
KP 305.5
Large River
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Hare Indian River
KP 330.0–330.3
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Tsintu River
KP 351.8
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Snafu Creek
KP 365.6
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
South Snafu Creek
KP 368.7
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Donnelly River
KP 383.5
Large River
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Hanna River
KP 415.8
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Elliot Creek
KP 431.7
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Oscar Creek
KP 445.7
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Bosworth Creek
KP 476.4
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Canyon Creek
KP 495.6
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Prohibition Creek
KP 508.9
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Vermilion Creek
KP 519.3
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Nota Creek
KP 519.9
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Great Bear River
KP 555.8–556.2
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Big Smith Creek
KP 613.1
Large River
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Little Smith Creek
KP 631.7
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Saline River
KP 653.3–653.4
Active I
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
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Table 4-3: Sensitive Periods for Fish – Northwest Territories (cont’d)
Watercourse
Location1
Watercourse Classification
Tentative Pipeline Crossing Method
Sensitive Periods2
Steep Creek
KP 668.7
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Blackwater River
KP 698.6–698.8
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
White Sand Creek
KP 750.9
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Ochre River
KP 758.7
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Hodgson Creek
KP 777.5
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Smith Creek
KP 796.7
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
River Between Two Mountains
KP 827.3–827.4
Large River
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Willowlake River
KP 853.8–854.0
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Trail River
KP 935.5
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
KP 948.9
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
KP 957.7
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Harris River
KP 989.3
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Mackenzie River
KP 1,001.1– 1,001.7
Large River
Trenchless
Mid-September to end of July
Manners Creek
KP 1,018.9
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Jean-Marie Creek No. 1
KP 1,047.6
Large River
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Jean-Marie Creek No. 2
KP 1,083.1
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Jean-Marie Creek No. 3
KP 1,088.4
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Trout River
KP 1,104.1
Large River
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
KP 1,115.4
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
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Table 4-3: Sensitive Periods for Fish – Northwest Territories (cont’d)
Location1
Watercourse
Watercourse Classification
Tentative Pipeline Crossing Method
Sensitive Periods2
Unnamed watercourse
KP 1,196.5
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
Unnamed watercourse
KP 1,212.6
Active I
Isolated
Mid-September to end of July
NOTES: 1 The kilometre post numbers in this table coincide with kilometre post markers on the environmental alignment sheets in Volume 8, Environmental Alignment Sheets. Kilometre post numbers are subject to change. N = Niglintgak, T = Taglu, P = Parsons Lake, S = Storm Hills, KP = kilometre post. 2 Sensitive periods for fish include life cycle stages of overwintering, spawning, rearing and migrating. Table 4-4: Instream Restricted Activity Periods in Alberta
Location1
Watercourse
Watercourse Classification
Tentative Pipeline Crossing Method
Instream Restricted Activity Period
Unnamed watercourse
Dickins Lake Section KP 8.6
Active I (Class C)
Isolated
April 16 to July 15
Petitot River
Dickins Lake Section KP 18.9
Large River (Class C)
Trenchless
April 16 to July 15
NOTE: 1 The kilometre post numbers in this table coincide with kilometre post markers on the environmental alignment sheets in Volume 8, Environmental Alignment Sheets. Kilometre post numbers are subject to change.
4.3.1
Conceptual Wildlife Mitigation Protection measures and management techniques for wildlife resources will be based on site-specific conditions and the species or habitat feature to be protected. A typical form of wildlife mitigation is leaving gaps in the pipe string and storage windrows at known wildlife trails (see Figure 4-1). Other protection measures might also be applied to mitigate impacts to wildlife, including:
Page 4-12
•
abiding by timing constraints within the recommended setback distances
•
abiding by daily timing restrictions on construction activities
•
altering or delaying certain construction activities to avoid sensory disturbance
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•
reducing the size of the proposed area of disturbance
•
protecting the site using fencing, or clearly mark the site using flagging
•
extending trenchless crossing techniques to avoid or reduce site impact, where applicable
•
realigning the pipeline or access road, or relocating the facility, borrow or infrastructure site to avoid the area of concern
•
conducting preconstruction surveys. Where warranted and permitted by regulatory agencies, relocating nests or other habitat features or individuals, and monitoring postconstruction response.
•
reducing posted speed limits in areas deemed to be critical wildlife habitat
•
retaining slash to create slash berms across the pipeline rights-of-way, at the direction of the proponents’ representative
Figure 4-1: Conceptual Wildlife Mitigation – Breaks at Wildlife Trails August 2004
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4.3.2
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Conceptual Heritage Resources Mitigation Protection measures and management techniques for heritage resources will be based on site-specific conditions and the type of feature that has been discovered. Before construction, a report will be completed that will specify mitigation measures at each known heritage resource site. See Figure 4-2 for an example of commonly applied mitigation for protecting heritage resources.
Figure 4-2: Conceptual Heritage Resource Mitigation – Reduce Area of Disturbance
Other protection measures might also be applied to mitigate impacts to heritage resources, including:
Page 4-14
•
realigning the pipeline or access road, or relocating the facility, borrow or infrastructure site to avoid the area of concern
•
protecting the site using fencing, or clearly marking the site using flagging
•
installing geotextile and swamp mats to protect the site, as necessary
•
conducting an excavation to salvage and establish an adequate record of the site, according to territorial or provincial heritage resource guidelines
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4.4
SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN
•
employing a qualified archaeologist or palaeontologist to monitor grading and trenching activities
•
using other suitable mitigation measures, as decided on in the field during construction by the proponents, in consultation with a qualified archaeologist and the applicable government agency
•
conducting a complete survey of a site to document all heritage resources where a pipeline realignment is not practical
Handling Waste Table 4-5 lists the measures that proponents and construction contractors might implement to avoid or reduce environmental disturbance from storing, transporting, treating and disposing of project-generated waste. The procedures for handling waste are based on the principles presented in Section 3.4, Waste Management. Table 4-5: Waste Handling – Protection Measures Subject
Protection Measures
Licences and Permits
• All licences and permits that are required for waste management
Waste Identification and Classification
• All waste generated by project activities will be identified, classified
will be obtained before project-related activities begin. and documented on a standardized template. • Trained personnel will classify all waste as either hazardous or
nonhazardous. Waste Separation and Containers
• Temporary waste storage sites and containers will be provided at
all points of waste generation, at designated locations. • Waste will be sorted and segregated according to waste
classification, i.e., hazardous and nonhazardous and end use, e.g., recyclable materials will be stored separate from waste intended for treatment and disposal. Separate containers will be located at all points of waste generation for immediate sorting of waste. • Containers will be selected based on waste type, preventing
wildlife attraction, and transport requirements. • Containers will be kept in good condition and sealed, closed or
covered at all times, unless waste is being added or removed. • Containers will be labelled to facilitate safe and proper handling of
the waste type. Waste Storage
• Waste will be transferred regularly from points of waste
generation, for consolidation at central waste management facilities or transfer points. • Waste will be stored until quantities are adequate to be
transported for recycling, treatment and disposal.
August 2004
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Table 4-5: Waste Handling – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Waste Storage (cont’d)
Protection Measures • Waste management facilities and transfer points will have
secondary containment to prevent loss of materials to the surrounding environment. • Waste management facilities and transfer points will be designed
to the specifications in Section 3.4, Waste Management. • Access to waste management facilities and transfer points will be
restricted to authorized personnel. • A representative of the proponents will perform regular
maintenance and inspections of waste management facilities and transfer points. The results of these inspections will be recorded and kept on file for future reference. • Waste types and quantities accepted and removed from waste
management facilities and transfer points will be documented, using waste tracking procedures. Waste Transportation
• All hazardous waste will be transported according to the
Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (Government of Canada 1992b) and Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (Government of Canada 2001c). • Any interprovincial and transboundary movement of waste will be
performed according to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (Government of Canada 1999a) and the associated Interprovincial Movement of Hazardous Waste Regulations (Government of Canada 2002c) and Export and Import of Hazardous Waste Regulations (Government of Canada 1992c). • Waste will be transported primarily by truck and barge. Aircraft will
only transport waste as a last option, where safety allows. • Vehicles used for waste transportation will be of suitable size and
type, and properly outfitted to transport the particular waste. • Waste will not be accepted for transport without proper
identification, classification and labelling. • Suitable secondary containment devices will be used when
transporting liquid hazardous waste. • All vehicles will be equipped with spill response kits. • Proper labels and placards will be provided for all vehicles
transporting waste. • Transportation plans will include emergency response and
reporting procedures for the carrier, including communication equipment and notification procedures. Waste Minimization
• Measures will be implemented, whenever practical, to limit waste
Treatment
• Treatment technology and methods will be used, whenever
generation through reduction, reuse and recycling. practical, to reduce waste volume, toxicity and potential for environmental contamination. Treatment includes anything that changes the physical, chemical or biological character of the waste.
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Table 4-5: Waste Handling – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Treatment (cont’d)
Protection Measures • Treatment technology and methods will be screened and selected
based on the best practical technology suited to project conditions and limitations. • Technology and methods will be selected to provide treatment at
the source of generation, or at central waste management facilities or transfer points. Where these circumstances do not apply, waste will be bulked and transferred to approved third-party waste management infrastructure and services. • Only government-approved treatment technology and methods will
be used. • Domestic wastewater will be treated to meet approved effluent
quality criteria before reuse or release to the environment. • Incineration will be considered a suitable technology for treating
domestic and other nonhazardous waste. Disposal
• Disposal options will be screened and selected based on the best
practical technology suited to project conditions and limitations. Only government-approved disposal options will be used. • Only landfill sites with proper design criteria, operations and
maintenance programs will be used for waste disposal. • Waste disposal wells might be used for disposing of specific waste
types, e.g., drilling waste and produced water. • Using sumps for handling drilling waste will be controlled.
4.5
Third-Party Waste Management Infrastructure and Services
• The proponents must approve the use of third-party waste
Waste Tracking and Documentation
• A comprehensive waste tracking system will be implemented to
management infrastructure and services. Third parties include local communities and commercial enterprises.
manage and account for all waste types. This system requires that waste be tracked from its point of generation to its disposal, reuse, recycling or treatment location.
Preparing Rights-of-Way and Construction Sites Table 4-6 lists the protection measures that the proponents and the construction contractors might implement to avoid or reduce environmental disturbance from clearing and grading the required sites at the anchor fields, pipeline rights-of-way, road easements, and the infrastructure, facility and borrow sites.
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Table 4-6: Disturbance of Rights-of-Way and Sites – Protection Measures Subject
Protection Measures
Preconstruction wildlife surveys
• Undertake preconstruction wildlife surveys, where required
Schedule
• Conduct all rights-of-way and site preparation activities, e.g.,
immediately before starting right-of-way or site preparation. clearing, grading, during frozen or dry ground conditions.
Staking
• Stake both boundaries of the pipeline rights-of-way and road
easements, and all boundaries of the facility, infrastructure, borrow sites and areas at the anchor fields that will be developed. • Stake additional temporary workspace, if locations are known
before right-of-way and site preparation begins. • Flag or stake the boundaries of winter roads and shooflies. • Stake the pipeline rights-of-way and road easements, so that
watercourses, pipelines and roads are crossed according to crossing agreements. • Stake drainage ways crossed by the permanent access roads and
the pipeline rights-of-way during the fall or before heavy snowfall, if practical. This will assist in locating culverts under the roads and gaps in the trench crown, to avoid flooding or erosion during spring breakup. • Stake and flag vegetated buffer zones to avoid during clearing.
The location of all buffer zones will be communicated to the clearing contractor before clearing activities begin. • Narrow down or fence off known locations of rare or endangered
wildlife and plant species, archaeological sites or culturally important sites. Follow the directions of the proponents’ representative. See Figure 4-3 for narrow down and fencing, and Figure 4-4 for rare and uncommon plant community mitigation. Survey slash lines
• Fell all timber onto the pipeline rights-of-way, road easements or
Workspace
• Identify the need for workspace before construction, to the extent
construction sites during survey line clearing. No fallen or leaning trees will be permitted off allotted workspace or in watercourses. possible. Most locations are identified on the environmental alignment sheets. Additional workspace might be required at: • sharp sidebends and foreign line and road crossings, for a
wider and deeper trench • sidehill slopes and on hummocky terrain, to ensure sufficient
storage space for graded material • locations where rollback storage is required • watercourse crossings, to ensure sufficient room for storing
surface material and spoil, back from the top of the bank Additional workspace
Page 4-18
• Obtain approval from the proponents’ representative before
requesting additional workspace in the field from regulators. Do not allow clearing or trespassing beyond the boundary of the allotted workspace, unless additional workspace rights have been obtained.
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Table 4-6: Disturbance of Rights-of-Way and Sites – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Buffer zones
Protection Measures • Avoid clearing in all vegetated buffer zones, until otherwise
directed by the proponents’ representative. Shooflies
• Install shooflies at locations approved by the proponents’
representative and the applicable government agency. Watercourse banks
• Limit the removal of vegetation adjacent to watercourses. • Fell trees away from watercourses and inward onto the pipeline
rights-of-way, road easements or infrastructure sites to reduce damage to streambanks, beds and adjacent trees, unless safety conditions dictate otherwise. Clear by hand to reduce disturbance, if instructed by the proponents’ representative or regulatory inspectors. Remove any trees, debris and soil inadvertently deposited within the watercourse, in a manner that restricts disturbance of the bed and banks. Do not stand or lay trees across watercourses. • Do not clear along the pipeline rights-of-way, within the vegetated
buffer zone, at watercourses to be crossed using a trenchless crossing technique, except along the travel lane if a shoofly or existing crossing will not be used. • Ensure that temporary workspace is set back from the vegetative
buffer. Clearing
• Cut large diameter timber as close to the ground surface as
conditions permit. • Retain timber where needed for use as corduroy, slash berms,
rollback or any other use that the project requires (see Figure 4-5). Locations and intended uses of retained timber are indicated on the environmental alignment sheets, or will be directed by the proponents’ representative. • The proponents will determine the amount of timber retained for
use as rollback, slash berms or corduroy. Rollback windrows will not be used as corduroy. • Retain timber at locations agreed to during negotiations between
specific communities and the project proponents. • Skid timber to approved deck sites, or store it along the edge of
the pipeline rights-of-way or construction sites (see Figure 4-6). Timber will not be skidded through watercourses during nonfrozen conditions. Debris left on the ice will be removed before breakup, if timber is skidded over watercourses during frozen conditions. • Windrow small diameter timber and debris to one or both sides of
the pipeline rights-of-way, over the surface of road easements or over the area where infrastructure or facility sites will be constructed. Access during clearing
August 2004
• Create access for moving sleigh camps, fuel trucks, emergency
vehicles and other vehicles required during clearing. Limit the amount of surface levelling and grading during clearing activities, to the extent practical.
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Table 4-6: Disturbance of Rights-of-Way and Sites – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject
Protection Measures
Access during clearing (cont’d)
• Install temporary erosion control structures, where grading or
Leaning and damaged trees
• Fell all trees damaged during construction activities immediately.
Slash disposal
• Obtain permission to burn, from the applicable regulatory
surface levelling cuts into the mineral soil, before spring breakup, on slopes identified on the environmental alignment sheets or as directed by the proponents’ representative. Do not postpone felling damaged trees until cleanup. Remove any trees that fall off the allotted workspace, where necessary, or as directed by the proponents’ representative. authority. No burning will be conducted during high wind conditions. • Attend to fires and prevent fires from spreading. Slash burning
crews will have firefighting equipment on hand that is capable of controlling any fire that might result from their activities. • Extinguish burning embers before leaving the site, and monitor
burn sites to ensure that no smouldering debris remains. Push unburned stumps along the edge of the allotted workspace, after attempting to burn them. • Avoid locating burn piles on peat-rich soils, to limit the risk of
residual fires. • Conduct infrared scanning of burn piles and surrounding areas to
locate any hot spots. Snow management
• Pack snow on the work side of the pipeline rights-of-way and the
winter road easements, in mid to late winter, as necessary to avoid premature thawing of the upper soils. • Pack the pipeline rights-of-way in wet areas such as muskeg to
increase frost penetration into the ground. Avoid packing the ditch area of the pipeline rights-of-way. • Where feasible, incorporate snow into the work side and the
ditcher travel lane of the pipeline rights-of-way (see Section 4.5.5, Conceptual Right-of-Way Configurations). • Leave gaps of at least 2 m in windrowed snow at obvious
crossings of wildlife trails and in areas of critical wildlife habitat, if snow windrows are higher than 0.75 m. This applies if excess snow is encountered and windrowing is required along the boundaries of the pipeline rights-of-way or road easements. • Windrow snow over the trench line of the pipeline rights-of-way, to
prevent deep frost penetration along the trench line, in areas where the standard trench depth is deeper than the active layer. • Grade snow over the travel lane of the pipeline rights-of-way and
on access roads, if rough, to improve driving conditions. • Limit the removal of snow from the spoil side of the pipeline rights-
of-way in areas where grubbing is not required. Excess snow that could interfere with backfilling operations will be removed, and about 10 cm of snow will be left in place to avoid scalping of surface soil during backfilling. Page 4-20
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Table 4-6: Disturbance of Rights-of-Way and Sites – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Grubbing
Protection Measures • Limit grubbing stumps and tree roots to the trench line along the
pipeline rights-of-way and areas to be graded. Unless otherwise authorized by the proponents’ representative, grubbing will not be permitted at anchor fields or facilities. • Restrict root grubbing near watercourses. Do not grub within the
vegetated buffer zone of watercourses, except along the trench line of the pipeline rights-of-way. Leave an undisturbed organic mat within the buffer zone on the work side, to reduce the potential for introducing sediment into the watercourse. The proponents’ representative might consider additional clearing and grubbing within the vegetated buffer zone, if these activities will reduce erosion or sedimentation risk. • Blade and windrow loose surface material, including live plant
material, leaf litter, mineral soil and snow, to the edge of pipeline rights-of-way (see Section 4.5.6, Grading), access road easements or infrastructure sites. Surface levelling
• Level the surface of the travel lanes and trench areas of the
pipeline rights-of-way to facilitate travel and moving equipment where required. The tops of hummocks and tussocks will be removed, and the material used to fill in the adjacent low points (see Section 4.5.7, Surface Levelling). • Restrict surface levelling to the ditch area of the pipeline right-of-
way north of the Inuvik area facility where practical. • Avoid exposing mineral soil over more than about 20% of the
disturbed area on the travel lanes of the pipeline right-of-way, when surface levelling on ice-rich, thaw-unstable terrain. Grading
• Develop detailed grade plans before starting construction. The
maximum depths of sidehill slope grade cuts will be determined while developing the grade plans. • Grade the production pads, pipeline rights-of-way, road
easements, facility and infrastructure sites to be developed, only where necessary. • Limit grading throughout the project area, especially at
watercourses and wetlands. Control the width of grading to limit the potential for ground disturbance, erosion and thaw settlement. • Manage grading at locations where ice-rich, thaw-unstable soils
are encountered. • Control grading on steep slopes along the pipeline rights-of-way
and road easements. Watercourses
• Grade away from watercourses to eliminate introducing soil and
organic debris. Do not place windrowed or fill material in watercourses during grading.
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Table 4-6: Disturbance of Rights-of-Way and Sites – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Sidehill slopes
Protection Measures • Cut or fill sidehill slopes on thaw-stable terrain to create the
pipeline right-of-way (see Section 4.5.6, Grading). On sidehill slopes greater than 10%, the direction of work might be reversed through the steep terrain, or the pipeline route might be altered to avoid the sidehill slope. • Construct pads on the work side of the pipeline rights-of-way,
Work pads
where necessary, to create a safe working environment in ice-rich, thaw-unstable soils where grading is to be reduced (see Section 4.5.8, Cross-Slope Right-of-Way Configuration for illustrations of cross-slope – two pipelines and cross-slope – one pipeline). Construct work pads of snow, ice, borrow material, slash or a combination of these materials. • Avoid placing graded material on the slopes unless otherwise
advised by a geotechnical engineer. Contour cut and fills to slopes, as directed by a geotechnical engineer • Ensure that graded material does not spread off the allotted
workspace. Infrastructure sites
4.5.1
• Blade loose surface material from the surface of infrastructure
sites located on thaw-stable terrain. Windrow loose material to the closest edge of the allotted workspace (see Section 4.5.9, Preparing Infrastructure Sites for level and sloped terrain).
Narrowing Down and Fencing The width of the right-of-way or other construction site can be narrowed (see Figure 4-3, cited previously) or reduced to avoid site-specific features, such as archaeological sites, rare plants and uncommon plant communities, and sensitive and critical wildlife habitat. The specific features could be flagged, staked, fenced or otherwise protected during construction. Guidelines to follow when narrowing a work area or fencing off a feature for protection include:
Page 4-22
•
identifying and stake or flag the boundaries of the feature to be protected where it encroaches on the rights-of-way or construction sites
•
using snow fence or construction guard fencing to isolate the area to be protected from the area to be developed
•
reducing the workspace to as narrow an area as practical, where narrowing on the work side of a pipeline right-of-way is sufficient to protect the feature
•
developing site-specific plans to complete construction through the area while protecting the feature, where further narrowing is required
•
maintaining fencing and barriers until all construction and reclamation activities have been completed August 2004
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Figure 4-3: Conceptual Narrow-Down
4.5.2
Conceptual Rare and Uncommon Plant Community Mitigation Protection measures and environmental management techniques for rare plant species and uncommon plant communities will be based on site-specific conditions and species sensitivity criteria. Proponents will make the final decisions on mitigation measures, in consultation with the proponents’ botanical specialists. The following mitigation measures and options will be considered: Preliminary assessment and protection will include the following steps: 1. Expand the field survey of the area to identify whether the species or community is found only within the right-of-way or other site to be developed, or extends beyond it. 2. Consult with applicable government agencies and vegetation experts to verify the status ranking and known distribution and determine if there is a possibility of sacrificing individuals or parts of populations on the right-ofway or construction site 3. Stake and fence off individuals or populations on the right-of-way or construction site. This will be done as soon after identification as practical to protect rare plants during construction.
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For rare plant species, complete protection is preferred. The mitigation strategy includes the following options, of which one or more could be used at a site: •
consider narrowing the planned area of disturbance (see Figure 4-4, cited previously) to avoid individuals or populations being on the right-of-way or temporary workspace, if the species can be fully protected during and after construction, or if a viable, self-sustaining population occurs beyond the right-of-way
•
consider a minor realignment of the pipeline in the immediate area of the vegetation to be protected
•
bore beneath the site and provide alternative measures for equipment to travel past the area of concern, for example, protective matting, temporary bridge or drive around
•
employ suitable salvage, propagation and transplant techniques, as directed by the proponents’ botanical specialists
•
reroute the pipeline to completely avoid the area of concern if all other options are not feasible or sufficiently effective
•
implement dust-control measures adjacent to known locations of rare plants, where warranted
For uncommon plant communities, the mitigation strategy includes one or more of the following options:
Page 4-24
•
narrow down the planned area of disturbance to avoid disturbing uncommon plant communities occurring on the right-of-way, construction site or temporary workspace, if the community can be fully protected during construction, or if a viable, self-sustaining population occurs beyond the area to be disturbed
•
employ suitable buffer materials such as snow ramps, ice bridges or geotextiles
•
consider a minor realignment of the pipeline in the immediate area of the vegetation to be protected, if narrowing the disturbance area is not effective or practical
•
implement dust control measures adjacent to known locations of uncommon plant communities, where warranted
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Figure 4-4: Conceptual Rare and Uncommon Plant Community Mitigation
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4.5.3
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Using Rollback and Slash Berms Slash and timber on steep slopes might be used as rollback, where available and acceptable to the applicable government agency, at strategic locations along a pipeline right-of-way for access control or for small mammal travel corridors (see Figure 4-5, cited previously). The proponents will determine specific locations during construction. Guidelines to follow when rollback or slash berms are required include:
4.5.4
•
retaining timber where required for use as rollback or slash berms. Rollback will only be considered as a viable option to control surface erosion on the pipeline right-of-way south of the tree line
•
using larger-diameter slash for slash berms or rollback intended for access control. Use smaller slash for rollback as an erosion control measure.
•
determining, through the proponents’ representatives and the applicable government agency, the amount of timber retained for use as rollback or slash berms at the time of construction
•
walking down rollback with a bulldozer on steep slopes
•
spreading slash and timber evenly over the pipeline right-of-way where access is a concern. Do not walk down rollback when used as access control.
•
leaving gaps in the rollback at obvious wildlife trails
•
constructing slash berms across the entire pipeline right-of-way where directed by the proponents’ representatives in consultation with the applicable government agency, to provide travel corridors for small mammals, and to limit line of sight down the right-of-way and to block vehicle access
Salvaging Timber and Developing Deck Sites Deck sites are commonly required to store timber cleared from a pipeline right-ofway. See Figure 4-6, cited previously, for an example of a timber deck site.
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Figure 4-5: Conceptual Rollback and Slash Berms
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Figure 4-6: Conceptual Timber Deck Site
Guidelines to follow when salvaging timber and planning and developing a deck site include:
Page 4-28
•
salvaging timber where required for use during construction and reclamation and where agreements have been made with local communities
•
salvaging progressively, if practical
•
ensuring the butt ends of piled tree lengths are approximately flush. Do not top skid. Butts should face the right-of-way or direction of haul. Decks must be clean with no sticks, branches, plastic, metal, tangled stems, standing trees or roots.
•
where practical, locating decks in natural clearings, old cleared areas, seismic line intersections and other areas that do not require clearing. Avoid deck sites in low areas or adjacent to drainage courses if the timber will be stored for August 2004
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long periods. Where no existing sites are available, transfer timber to a suitable location or clear a deck, as discussed previously. Deck locations must be approved by the applicable government agency. 4.5.5
Conceptual Right-of-Way Configurations Figures 4-7 and 4-8 show the conceptual pipeline right-of-way configurations for the gathering system. Figure 4-9 and Figure 4-10 show the configurations for the combined gas and NGL pipelines and gas pipeline rights-of-way. These configurations are for areas that will not require grading to prepare the right-of-way for pipeline installation.
Figure 4-7: Conceptual Right-of-Way Configuration – NPS 26 and 30
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Figure 4-8: Conceptual Right-of-Way Configuration – NPS 10, 16 and 18
Figure 4-9: Conceptual Right-of-Way Configuration – NPS 30 and 10
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Figure 4-10: Conceptual Right-of-Way Configuration – NPS 36
Guidelines to follow when preparing and maintaining a pipeline right-of-way include:
4.5.6
•
preparing pads where travel is not permitted directly on frozen surface soil
•
limiting the removal of snow from the right-of-way. Incorporate snow and cleared vegetation debris into the work side to assist in preparing a smooth, level working surface
•
grubbing roots from the trench area only. Reduce grubbing in wet terrain to avoid creating bog holes.
•
storing trench spoil on top of the undisturbed surface soil
•
grading, packing and possibly watering newly fallen snow that accumulates on the right-of-way during construction to maintain the integrity of the working surface and travel lanes throughout the construction season
Grading Figure 4-11 shows a conceptual pipeline right-of-way configuration for a pipeline right-of-way where grading is required and permitted.
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Figure 4-11: Conceptual Right-of-Way Preparation – Graded
Guidelines to follow when preparing and maintaining a pipeline right-of-way where grading is required include: •
grubbing tree roots and stumps from areas to be graded
•
removing and stockpiling loose surface material by:
•
Page 4-32
•
blading off leaf litter, roots and some upper mineral soil from the work side and part of the spoil side. The width from which loose surface material will be removed from the spoil side will be determined during construction and will depend on the amount of grading required in addition to trench material, e.g., bedrock. Store surface material on both edges of the right-of-way.
•
leaving breaks in the surface material, trench spoil and grade spoil windrows at drainage courses and obvious wildlife game trails
grading the right-of-way and stockpiling the grade spoil at the edge of the area from where loose surface material was removed from the right-of-way
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Following construction, replace the graded and surface material by: •
feathering-out graded material over the area that was graded
•
replacing surface material over the graded area
•
ripping replaced surface material and mineral soil to a depth of about 15 to 20 cm to mix leaf litter with mineral soils, if surface soil contains less than 50% mineral material
•
seeding disturbed area with suitable seed (see Section 4.9, Cleanup and Reclamation)
Guidelines to follow when preparing and maintaining a pipeline right-of-way where a cut and fill is required (see Figure 4-12) include:
August 2004
•
building a shoofly to reduce disturbance along the right-of-way, as directed by the proponents’ representative
•
staking and clearing extra temporary workspace to allow extra grade material storage, if required
•
grubbing tree roots and stumps from areas to be graded
•
removing loose surface material from cut and fill areas of the right-of-way
•
making the cut on the high side of the right-of-way and placing the fill on the low side of the right-of-way. Install the pipe in the cut, not in the fill.
•
using erosion-control measures, such as trench breakers and subdrains, if warranted
•
leaving breaks in the trench crown at frequent intervals on sidehill sloped terrain
•
replacing surface material on disturbed areas other than the cut face
•
leaving the cut face to regress and revegetate naturally, where terrain conditions are suitable
•
applying seed and fertilizer on replaced surface material
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Figure 4-12: Conceptual Cut and Fill
4.5.7
Surface Levelling Figure 4-13 illustrates a conceptual surface levelling technique for preparing a pipeline right-of-way surface. This technique might be incorporated where suitable conditions are encountered. The surface levelling technique would only be used on the ditcher travel lane and work side of the pipeline right-of-way south of the Inuvik area facility and would be restricted to the ditch area north of the Inuvik area facility where practical. Guidelines to follow when preparing a pipeline right-of-way using the surface levelling technique include: •
Page 4-34
clearing vegetation as close to ground level as possible
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•
using a bulldozer to cut the tops of hummocks and tussocks. In thaw-unstable permafrost areas, ensure that no more than about 20% of the surface area of the work side and ditcher travel lane of the pipeline right-of-way is exposed mineral soil after surface levelling.
•
using tops of hummocks and tussocks, snow and cleared vegetation debris to fill in the low areas adjacent to the hummocks and tussocks
Figure 4-13: Conceptual Surface Levelling
4.5.8
Cross Slope Right-of-Way Configuration In areas where a cross slope is encountered and grading is not permitted because of the sensitive nature of the slope, i.e., thaw unstable because of the high ice content, the right-of-way configuration could be as shown in Figure 4-14 for two pipelines and Figure 4-15 for one pipeline.
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Figure 4-14: Conceptual Cross Slope Right-of-Way Configuration for Two Pipelines
Figure 4-15: Conceptual Cross Slope Right-of-Way Configuration for a Single Pipeline
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Guidelines to follow when preparing a pipeline right-of-way by constructing pads on the work side include:
4.5.9
•
constructing work pads using cleared vegetation debris, snow, borrow material or a combination of these materials
•
leaving work pad materials in place following pipeline installation
Preparing Infrastructure Sites Figure 4-16 illustrates the conceptual infrastructure site layout for a level area. Figure 4-17 shows an area that requires grading before pad material is added to the site. Guidelines to follow when preparing infrastructure sites on level or sloping terrain include: •
applying this technique at infrastructure sites located on thaw-stable terrain
•
grubbing tree roots and stumps from the area to be graded and from the area where the pad is to be constructed
•
removing loose surface material from the area that was grubbed and windrow this material to the closest edge of the allotted workspace
•
reducing the size of the cut and fill to reduce ground disturbance
•
packing the fill to ensure a safe working surface during construction and use of the infrastructure site
•
protecting the cut face and fill from water erosion
•
replacing surface material over the pad once it is determined that the site is no longer required for project use
4.6
Construction
4.6.1
Pipeline Table 4-7 lists the protection measures that pipeline construction contractors might implement to avoid or reduce environmental disturbance from stringing, welding, trenching, lowering the pipeline into the trench and backfilling.
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Figure 4-16: Conceptual Surface Preparation at Infrastructure Sites
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Figure 4-17: Conceptual Surface Preparation at Infrastructure Sites – Cut and Fill Table 4-7: Construction Activities – Protection Measures Subject Timing
Protection Measures • Work during frozen soil conditions, and ensure that there is
sufficient frost or low enough soil moisture to allow construction without resulting in excessive rutting or soil compaction. Pipe stringing
• Leave periodic gaps in the pipe string where known wildlife trails
intersect with the pipeline right-of-way. Breaks in the pipe will coincide with gaps in surface material, grade material, snow and rollback windrows. Caribou areas
• Limit the time that welded pipe remains on skids to the shortest
duration practical. Leave gaps in welded pipe at about 800 m intervals, if the top of the pipe exceeds 1 m above ground level, at areas identified as caribou winter foraging habitat on the environmental alignment sheets. August 2004
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Table 4-7: Construction Activities – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Welding
Protection Measures • Weld, inspect and coat the welds of a sufficient length of pipeline
before trenching activities begin. • Collect welding and coating waste and dispose of it appropriately. • Ensure that gaps are left in welded pipe at the same locations
where gaps were left in the strung-out pipe. Trenching
• Construct access to identified sources of additional or replacement
backfill before trenching. • Restrict the length of open ditch and limit the time that the trench
will be left open, to reduce interference with wildlife. • Ensure that gaps are left in the spoil pile, and leave plugs in the
excavated trench, at the same locations where gaps were left in the strung-out pipe. • Place warning signs on both sides of the pipeline right-of-way
where the trench crosses known or apparent snowmobile trails or other access routes used by local residents. Bedrock
• Rip bedrock in the trench, if feasible. Ripping is preferred over
blasting. Blasting near watercourses
• Follow suitable procedures provided in the Guidelines for the Use
Surface material – subsoil separation
• Keep the spoil pile separate from surface material pile, along
Dewatering trench
• Dewater the trench when laying pipe in areas with a high water
of Explosives in or near Canadian Fisheries Waters (Wright and Hopky 1998), or as directed by the proponents’ representative, if blasting is necessary within 80 m of a fish-bearing watercourse. graded areas of the pipeline right-of-way. Maintain adequate separation between surface material and ditch spoil piles, to avoid mixing the materials. table. Pump water onto stable and well-vegetated areas, tarpaulins or sheeting, to prevent erosion or any unfiltered or dirty water from directly re-entering a watercourse. • Do not locate dewatering points within 50 m of a watercourse. • Do not dewater any permanent wetland.
Lowering-in
• Inspect the trench for trapped animals, fallen rock and blocks of
frozen ditch spoil or surface soil before lowering the pipeline into the trench. • Lower in pipe sections as soon as a sufficient length of open ditch
is available. Trench breakers
• Install sack, foam or bentonite trench breakers, where warranted,
on moderate and steep slopes, along flat terrain with organic soils, and at watercourses with banks of organic material to prevent trench washout (see Section 4.6.1.1, Installing Trench Breakers). • Determine exact locations of trench breakers in the field.
Preliminary locations are shown on the environmental alignment sheets (see Volume 8, Environmental Alignment Sheets).
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Table 4-7: Construction Activities – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject
Protection Measures
Trench breakers (cont’d)
• Mark the locations of each trench breaker before backfilling, to
Install subdrains
• Install subdrains where there is evidence of seepage or a flowing
place a diversion berm immediately downslope of the trench breaker. spring on a slope, once the trench is excavated, as directed by the proponents’ technical expert (see Section 4.6.1.1, Installing Trench Breakers).
Backfill the trench
• Backfill the trench without mixing spoil with surface material where
grading is required. Do not walk machinery on the surface material windrow while backfilling the spoil. • Ensure that bedrock excavated from the trench is not backfilled
into the upper 50 cm of the trench, if reclamation capability might be reduced. Windrow excess bedrock along the edge of the rightof-way. • Use imported backfill, if required, where ice-rich thaw-unstable
soils have been encountered during trenching, and as directed by the proponents’ representative. • Backfill the trench to at least the top of the pipeline with imported
backfill, in areas with ice-rich soils (see Section 4.6.1.2, Installing Subdrains). Use native ditch spoil to backfill the remainder of the trench and to crown the trench. • Compact the backfill to reduce settlement, if feasible, when the
trench has been backfilled to the level of the surrounding ground. Take extra care to compact the trench at the banks of water crossings and intermittent drainages. • Avoid mixing snow with spoil material during backfill. • Ensure backfill is as close to lower in as practical by the end of the
workday, to reduce hazards to wildlife. • Ensure that all segments of open trench are backfilled before
spring thaw, except as required for hydrostatic testing and valve sites. Crown the trench
• Crown the trench with remaining native spoil to allow for
settlement. • Leave breaks in the trench crown at obvious drainages and
wherever seepage occurs, to reduce interference with natural drainage. Leave breaks in the crown, at frequent intervals, where sidehill slopes are encountered. Compact backfill where breaks have been left in the trench crown. • Limit the height of the trench crown to 0.75 m at obvious wildlife
trails. Recontour rightof-way
August 2004
• Recontour the pipeline right-of-way so that natural drainage
patterns are not blocked. Restore drainage channels. If there is a high risk of fill failure on slopes, recontour the grades as shown on the construction drawings, or as directed by the proponents’ technical expert. Page 4-41
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Table 4-7: Construction Activities – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject
Protection Measures
Recontour rightof-way (cont’d)
• Restore wetlands, as required, to their preconstruction profile.
Above-grade flow lines at anchor fields
• Ensure adequate clearance exists between the flow line and the
Remove ramps through wetlands, as directed by the proponents’ representative. ground surface for equipment to pass. • Install crossings at known wildlife trails. • Protect the insulated above-grade flow lines.
4.6.1.1
Installing Trench Breakers Figure 4-18 and Figure 4-19 show conceptual trench breaker materials and installation. Guidelines to follow when considering placing and installing trench breakers on slopes include:
Page 4-42
•
installing trench breakers in areas indicated on the environmental alignment sheets or as directed by the proponents’ representative, as required to control water seepage along the trench line and prevent erosion of backfill materials
•
constructing trench breakers using earth-filled sacks, bentonite, foam or equivalent materials to block water seepage
•
basing the design of trench breakers on site-specific conditions during construction
•
digging keys into trench bottom and sides, to the extent feasible, for added stability
•
installing a drain or a layer of sand or gravel covered with filter cloth over the trench breaker
•
backfilling native or imported material and marking the location of the trench breaker
•
ensuring that cross ditches are located over the end of the drain (see Section 4.9.2, Cross Ditches and Diversion Berms)
•
constructing diversion berms downslope from the breaker, but not over the end of the drain
•
ensuring that there is no trench crown in the diversion ditch
•
backfilling the trench on the downslope side of the trench breaker before backfilling the upslope side August 2004
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Figure 4-18: Conceptual Trench Breaker Installation – Moderate and Steep Slopes
August 2004
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Figure 4-19: Conceptual Trench Breaker Installation – Watercourses with Organic Banks
Guidelines to follow when considering placing and installing trench breakers adjacent to watercourses with organic banks (see Figure 4-19, cited previously) include:
Page 4-44
•
installing sack breakers in the trench adjacent to watercourses with organic banks, to prevent erosion of backfill material at the streambank
•
filling sacks with earth, clay, sand or a cement and sand mixture
•
digging keys into the trench bottom and sides for added stability
•
placing an interlock sack breaker around the pipe to the top of the trench
•
backfilling native or imported material above and below the trench breaker August 2004
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4.6.1.2
SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN
Installing Subdrains Conceptual subdrain installation is illustrated as a schematic in Figure 4-20. A geotechnical engineer should be consulted for the detailed site-specific drain design and the incorporation of the trench breaker. Subdrains should only be installed at locations identified by a geotechnical engineer. Guidelines to follow when considering placing and installing subdrains include:
August 2004
•
install a subdrain to divert shallow groundwater flow away from the pipeline to improve slope stability. Clean gravel and a filter cloth ditch liner permits drainage, helping to retain backfill. In certain circumstances, a parallel drain might be installed lengthwise down the slope underneath the pipeline. A geotechnical engineer can advise about the most suitable method.
•
install the trench breaker downslope of the drain to prevent drain water flowing down the pipeline trench
•
select the location of the drain by on-site investigation of such factors as groundwater conditions in the trench, soil types, local topography and drainage patterns. Discharge could either be off the right-of-way on the downslope side of the subdrain (see Subdrain Exit A) or on the right-of-way downslope of the berm (see Subdrain Exit B). Special permission will be required from the applicable government agency to construct a subdrain exit off the right-of-way. Ensure the discharge is into an area well protected with gravel, riprap or vegetation.
•
skew cross drain 5º off horizontal to ensure sufficient drainage
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Figure 4-20: Conceptual Subdrain Installation
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4.6.1.3
SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN
Using Imported Backfill The conceptual use of imported backfill for the pipeline trench is illustrated in Figure 4-21.
Figure 4-21: Conceptual Use of Imported Backfill
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Guidelines to follow when considering locating and using imported backfill include the following:
4.6.2
•
use imported backfill from a source as close as possible to the location where the material is required
•
place ditch spoil with a high ice content in the top part of the trench and use it to crown the trench
•
rework the trench crown to reduce the occurrence of sunken ditch and to reduce the height of the trench crown, where warranted, during the winter following pipeline installation
•
monitor, as required, to determine if seed is to be reapplied to the ditchline
Infrastructure Sites Table 4-8 lists the protection measures construction contractors might use to avoid or reduce environmental disturbance when developing various types of infrastructure sites. Table 4-8: Development of Infrastructure Sites – Protection Measures Subject Site Preparation
Protection Measures • See Section 4.5, Preparing Rights-of-Way and Construction Sites,
for protection measures to use during site preparation activities, e.g., clearing, grubbing and grading, at infrastructure sites. Barge Landings
• Schedule channel excavation and bank grading to occur outside
the sensitive periods, i.e., mid-September to mid-July south of Wrigley and mid-September to end of July north of Wrigley, unless the proponents’ representative has granted authorization. • Grade banks, or build up ramps, using suitable material, to
facilitate the movement of trucks on and off barges. • Grade away from the watercourse to eliminate introducing material
into the watercourse, if grading is required to level the banks. • Ensure that granular fill is used where spud barges are to be
constructed. Carefully install and remove spud barges to limit siltation of the watercourse. • Excavate the river bottom to a suitable depth, where required.
Store excavated competent material above the high water mark. • Direct runoff water from the excavated material pile onto well-
vegetated land and not directly back into the river, where practical. Install temporary erosion control, e.g. a silt fence, where this is not practical. • Install signage on land and on the banks of the river, upstream
and downstream of the new barge landing.
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Table 4-8: Development of Infrastructure Sites – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Fuel Storage Sites
Protection Measures • See Section 4.3, General Environmental Protection Measures, for
protection measures that pertain to spill prevention and equipment refuelling and servicing. • Ensure that all key contractor and inspection staff, and fuel truck
operators working at the fuel storage sites, are aware of Section 5.2.1, Spills and Uncontrolled Releases. • Build or install impermeable berms, with a net capacity of not less
than 110% of the largest tank located within the berm, if doublewalled fuel tanks are not used at a particular site. • Incorporate graded material into the berm surrounding a tank farm,
where thaw-stable soils are encountered and grading is required to level the fuel storage site. • Use borrow material to level the fuel storage site, where
thaw-unstable soils are encountered and grading is not permitted. Install a lined artificial berm around the storage site if doublewalled fuel tanks are not used. • Install fuel pumps where access for fuel trucks is easiest. • Where fuel storage sites are adjacent to a barge landing and
barges will deliver the fuel to the site, pump fuel directly from the barge to the storage tanks through temporarily installed surface pipelines. Stationary and Pioneer Camps
• Install padding in high traffic areas in all stationary camps. • Use granular resources from the source nearest the stationary
camp, to the extent practical. • Ensure that the ground is sufficiently frozen, to support the weight
of the vehicles and equipment, before mobilizing pioneer camps where winter roads will not be constructed. • Ensure that the fire suppression system is in working order before
project personnel use the camp. • Ensure that all utility lines, e.g., water, sewer, gas, electricity and
communications, are protected from vehicle and equipment movements and from exposure to the elements. • Install signage on access roads, the pipeline right-of-way and
facility sites, to remind travellers that there is a camp in the area. • Ensure that all wastewater and solid waste are treated and
disposed of at approved third-party facilities. Section 4.4, Handling Waste, gives details of waste-related protection measures to be followed by all project personnel. • Ensure security is on site 24 hours a day once camp modules
begin arriving at the stationary camp sites. Stockpile Sites
• Install pads at all stockpile sites. • Use borrow material from the source nearest the stockpile site for
pad construction, to the extent practical.
August 2004
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Table 4-8: Development of Infrastructure Sites – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Staging and Marshalling Sites
Protection Measures • Install work pads at all staging and marshalling sites, to a depth
specified by a geotechnical engineer. • Use borrow material from the source nearest the staging and
marshalling sites for granular pad construction, to the extent practical. • See Section 4.4, Handling Waste, for protection measures that
pertain to garbage collection and disposal. Airstrips and Helicopter Landing Areas
• Design all airstrips and helicopter landing areas to meet corporate
and regulatory standards. • Clear trees at least 30 m from the edge of the landing area at
helicopter landing areas. • Install landing lights at all permanent airstrips and helicopter
landing areas. • Install a lighted windsock at all permanent airstrips and helicopter
landing areas. • Ensure that the communication tower and buildings, if required,
and fuel storage area, are located a sufficient distance from areas where aircraft will be in motion. Fuel Storage
• Ensure that fuel is stored in suitable containment systems at all
permanent airstrips and helicopter landing areas.
4.6.3
Production and Pipeline Facility Sites Table 4-9 lists the protection measures construction contractors might use to avoid or reduce environmental disturbance associated with developing production and pipeline facility sites. Table 4-9: Development of Production and Pipeline Facilities – Protection Measures Subject Site Preparation
Protection Measures • See Section 4.5, Preparing Rights-of-Way and Construction Sites,
for protection measures to use during site preparation activities, e.g., clearing and grading, at production and pipeline facility sites. Surface Drainage
• Ensure that the natural drainage patterns of the lands around the
facility site are not impeded or blocked. Install culverts and drainage ditches, where necessary, to bypass natural drainage. Line drainage ditches with rock or other approved material, if required, to prevent erosion. • Construct drainage from any potential contamination source as per
the site-specific design for each facility site. Fuel Storage Sites
Page 4-50
• Build or install impermeable berms, with a net capacity of not less
than 110% of the largest tank located within the berm, if doublewalled fuel tanks are not used at a particular site.
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Table 4-9: Development of Production and Pipeline Facilities – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Access Control
Protection Measures • Install fences and gates at the Inuvik area facility, compressor
stations, the Storm Hills pigging facility, the Trout River heater station and the NGTL interconnect facility. • Place signage to warn travellers along the pipeline right-of-way
and access roads that an above-grade facility is in the area. • Install sufficient lighting to warn air and ground traffic that an
above-grade facility is in the area. Niglintgak Gas Conditioning Facility
• Abide by all conditions of permit approvals and authorizations for
Dredging
• Abide by the schedule and measures described in project plans
any dredging activities that could be required to move the bargebased gas conditioning facility to its designated location. developed for dredging and disposing of sediment. • Evaluate equipment, dredging techniques and sediment disposal
options to reduce the entrainment of fish when dredging in channels of the Mackenzie River, and to reduce sediment load when dredging and disposing of sediment in the Beaufort Sea. • Use a silt curtain when dredging, where applicable, to control the
size of the sediment plume within the water column. • Avoid dredging during periods when fish are migrating, to the
extent practical. Sediment Disposal
• Dispose of sediment at approved locations. Avoid disposing of
Barging and Shipping
• Monitor for the presence of marine mammals when transporting by
sediment near shorelines, where practical. barge or ship through the Beaufort Sea. • Adhere to the guidelines in the Fisheries Joint Management
Committee’s Beaufort Sea Beluga Management Plan (2001). • Confine shipping activities to designated routes in the Beluga
Management Zone 1a, to the extent practical. • Ensure that barge and ship traffic, outside of the designated routes
in the Beluga Management Zone 1a, occurs after August 15, unless authorized by the proponents, regulatory agencies and the local hunters and trappers committee.
4.6.4
Borrow Sites Table 4-10 lists the protection measures construction contractors might use to avoid or reduce environmental disturbance from borrow site development.
August 2004
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Table 4-10: Development of Borrow Sites – Protection Measures Subject Site Preparation
Protection Measures • See Section 4.5, Preparing Rights-of-Way and Construction Sites,
for protection measures to use during site preparation activities, e.g., clearing and overburden removal, at borrow sites. Water Table
• Do not excavate material from within 1 m of the water table level,
unless authorized by the proponents’ representative. Multiple-Year Pits
• Excavate borrow material only from the multiple year pits where
vegetation, surface material and overburden have been removed. Equipment
• Locate screening and crushing equipment, if required, in an easily
accessible location within the borrow site, on a well-drained, stable surface. • Crush frozen material that is excavated in large clumps, to reduce
it to a size that is suitable for project needs, e.g., imported backfill. Large clumps might be acceptable for certain project needs. • Locate camps and offices away from the crusher location to
reduce impacts to workers from dust generated by crushing. Drainage and Flooding
• Drain floodwater using pumps or drainage ditches, if flooding
occurs within the borrow site during excavation. • Pump water onto well-vegetated, stable land adjacent to the
borrow site. Do not pump water directly into a watercourse or waterbody. Ensure that the pumped water dissipates after it leaves the hose and does not cause soil erosion. • Ensure that sufficient numbers of drainage ditches are cut to avoid
the movement of large volumes of water through one ditch, if drainage ditches are used. Groundwater Recharge
• Leave a sufficient depth of permeable material at the bottom of the
Ice-rich Material
• Excavate ice-rich borrow material and stockpile it in windrows over
excavated area of a borrow site. a summer season to allow the ice to melt and water to drain from the excavated material, if dry borrow material is required.
4.6.5
Access Roads Table 4-11 lists the environmental protection measures construction contractors might use to avoid or reduce the environmental disturbance associated with using existing roads and developing new access roads. Table 4-11: Using and Developing Access Roads – Protection Measures Subject
Protection Measures
Easement Preparation
• See Section 4.5, Preparing Rights-of-Way and Construction Sites,
Source Material
• Take measures to reduce rutting of soils along the access road,
for protection measures during road easement preparation activities, e.g., clearing, grubbing and grading along access roads. where access to a borrow source does not exist and access is required during the nonfrozen period.
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Table 4-11: Development of Access Roads – Protection Measures (cont’d) Subject Source Material (cont’d)
Protection Measures • Source borrow material for all-weather roads from nearby sites. • Withdraw water for winter roads from approved locations and
follow the conditions of approval issued by the regulators. Cover Depth
• Install borrow material, snow or ice to a minimum cover depth of
0.1 m or as authorized by applicable authorities. Depending on the size of the loads and whether the road will be constructed over mineral or organic soils, the thickness of material used to construct the road might have to be increased. Use of geotextiles will be considered in conserving borrow materials, snow or ice during access road development. Drainage
• Install culverts at obvious drainage courses on all-weather roads.
Ensure that culverts are large enough to handle the expected spring runoff. Bridges
• Notify the proponents’ representative at least 12 hours before
installing a bridge. • Ensure that the applicable federal, territorial, provincial and local
approvals have been received before installing a temporary or permanent bridge. • Ensure that adequate freeboard is left between bridge decks and
the expected high water mark, if the bridge will be used during nonfrozen conditions and has been installed over a navigable watercourse. Bridge Abutments
• Store riverbed material in a contained area above the high water
Ice Bridges
• Locate ice bridges at sites with gently sloping banks, to limit the
mark, where practical, if excavation of the riverbed is required to install a bridge abutment. grading requirements. Use snow and ice to create approaches, wherever practical, rather than grading. • Ensure that applicable federal, territorial, provincial and local
approvals have been received before installing an ice bridge. • Flood the ice surface with water and cover it with snow, to
increase the load-bearing capacity of the ice bridge. • Ensure that the ice bridge does not interfere with, or impede, the
winter flow of the watercourse. Winter roads
• Ensure that all applicable permits are in place before withdrawing
water for winter road development. • Ensure that the ice is suitably thick before the road is used by
heavy equipment. • Restrict project travel on winter roads when temperatures are
warm and the road surface is deteriorating. Dust Control
• Control dust on all-weather roads and existing roads, as directed
by the proponents’ representative. Signage
• Install signage at suitable locations to warn road users of curves,
slopes, intersections, narrow bridges and speed limits. August 2004
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SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN
4.6.6
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Production Drilling Table 4-12 lists the protection measures the drilling or construction contractors might use to avoid or reduce the environmental disturbance resulting from drilling activities. Table 4-12: Drilling Activities – Protection Measures Subject Site Preparation
Protection Measures • See Section 4.5, Preparing Rights-of-Way and Construction Sites,
for protection measures during site preparation activities, e.g., clearing and grading, at the anchor fields. Wildlife Monitor
• Ensure that an environmental monitor is on site during drilling, to
assess potential wildlife conflicts. Waste Management
• Equip drilling units with a system capable of collecting all waste oil
Leak Prevention
• Inspect hydraulic hoses and couplings, fuel tanks and other
from the drilling rig. potential contamination sources before the equipment is used on the site.
Permafrost
• Insulate or refrigerate the annulus surrounding the conductor pipe,
to reduce thermal degradation of the ground surface. Blowout Preventer
• Equip the wellheads with a blowout preventer system, according to
Drill Cuttings Disposal and Sumps
• Use a temporary tank or above-ground dyked enclosure for
the Canada Oil and Gas Drilling Regulations (Government of Canada 1979). temporary storage of drill cuttings until the waste disposal wells have been completed. • Dispose of drill cuttings by injecting into waste disposal wells, or
transporting to a remote sump. • Locate sumps at least 100 m away from the high water mark of
any permanent lake or watercourse, where feasible. • Maintain drilling fluid levels in the sump at least 1.2 m below the
permafrost active layer. • Keep records of the quantities and types of mud additives used, in
case leakage occurs after abandonment. • Ensure that well site personnel are familiar with the properties of
the mud types available and that they only use drilling additives of known chemical composition. • Monitor active sumps regularly, so that any required corrective
measures can be implemented immediately. • Abandon and reclaim sumps when drilling is complete, according
to the relevant guidelines and regulations.
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