Unit 2 Continued Restoration Plans PDF

SC 329 Unit 2 continued 2.2. Site conditions Wildlife Experts for each animal group should be consulted 2.2. Site conditions Wildlife cont. Extra attention given to Species at Risk or species with narrow environmental tolerances Federal – species at risk act...

SC 329 Unit 2 continued 2.2. Site conditions Wildlife Experts for each animal group should be consulted 2.2. Site conditions Wildlife cont. Extra attention given to Species at Risk or species with narrow environmental tolerances Federal – species at risk act Provincial – wildlife act Assessment periods vary depending on group  seasonal (one season or multi-season assessment) 2.2. Site conditions Land-Use How will the project interact with existing land-use?  Influences on drainage, erosion, access, etc.? Patterns of human occupancy and resource use Compatibility with local and/or regional land-use and development plans Potential for weed/invasive pollution 2.2. Site conditions Heritage Resources Evaluate known and potential heritage resources Describe contingency plans and field measures Traditional Land-use How the study area is currently used by Aboriginal groups, particularly for traditional use activities Traditional land use reports and consultation 2.2. Site conditions Social and Cultural Well-being Overview of potential effects: Workforce Community economics Human Health Pollution, Nuisances and environmental quality change Mitigations? Pre-disturbance Planning 3. Determine End land-use ??? 3. Determine End Wildlife land-useHabitat  A comprehensive approach to ecosystem restoration incorporates the requirements of all species at the same time 3. Determine End land-use Grazing Agriculture/  Sustain working landscapes  Select suitable plant materials for livestock/crop  Consider nutritional value and toxicity of the plants  Other: fencing, consulting local landowners 3. Determine End land-use Forestry Returning disturbed areas to forest- producing landscapes Trees will be targeted plant  Species components  Density  Production outputs: e.g. woodchip  3. Determine End land-use Recreation/ Education/ Research Requires maintenance Use local species Maximize diversity Control of invasives Consult local communities 3. Determine End land-use Restoration: implies we will the site back to historical state. Pre-disturbance Planning 4. Communication Pre-disturbance Planning 4. Communication General Public  Public access  Educational purposes  Trails, parking, and other facilities may be required  4. Communication Restoration - a long-term commitment of time and resources  E.g. 10+ years on dry mixed-grass prairie Collective decisions are more likely to be honored and implemented than unilateral ones Stakeholders should undertake restoration by agreements 4. Communication Landowners and Land managers  Need to be involved throughout the process  Make a concerted effort to incorporate their concerns and ideas into project planning Regulatory aithorities ‼ Important to understand requirements that are part of an 4. Communication Construction operators  They are the key to minimum disturbance and increasing the probability of successful restoration  Lead-time is important to make sure you get the most experienced and the most skilled operators NGO’s Address local contentious issues Other stakeholders Try to reduce cumulative effects by sharing access Ideas on minimum disturbance and effective restoration Restoration Planning Unit 2.2  Restoration Plans  Based on pre-disturbance site description  Minimize impact through siting, timing, and type/scale of disturbance  Give critical information to validate or reject various land use objectives and reclamation options  Determine if restoration a viable option Plan best way to reclaim, revegetate, restore site  Use appropriate disturbance methods, timing  Source seed supply  Soil conservation and protection  Weed and invasive species-control Create a schedule of operations for a restoration project Submitted with Disturbance plans to regulator for approval  It’s a requiremen t http://aep.alberta.ca/land/l and-industrial/legislation- guidelines.aspx  Restoration Plans Sections 1. Introduction (who ? Why ? When ?) 2. Pre-disturbance description (Detailed site assessment) 3. End land use objectives (Feasible and appropriate)  Restoration Plans Sections 1. Introduction (who ? Why ? When ?) 2. Pre-disturbance description (Detailed site assessment) 3. End land use objectives (Feasible and appropriate) 4. Materials and methods 5. Regulations 6. Monitoring and management 7. Timeline and schedule  Restoration Plans Regulatory Summary  Legislation, criteria, guidelines Soil and water management  Define strategies for before, during and after development  On-site access, traffic, soil storage, erosion control, etc.  Restoration Plans Plan Restoration Strategy 1) Objectives: Prepare suitable media for plant growth Successfully revegetate with desired species Seeding, erosion control, weed control, fertility Reestablish site hydrology, soil reconstruction, soil amendments  Restoration Plans Plan Restoration Strategy 2) Selecting the recovery strategy - Natural recovery - Assisted natural recovery - Use of native seed mixes - Considerations for Complex Sites - Special Consideration for Wetland Sites  Restoration Plans Plan Restoration Strategy 3) Implementation of the strategy - Salvaging native plant material resources - Site preparation - Recommended timing of restoration activities - Selecting equipment  Restoration Plans Project Maintenance  Fertilizers, mulches, amendments  Erosion control  Weed control  Grazing or protection  Monitoring and Evaluation  Criteria for success  Restoration Regulations Unit 2.3  What is legislation ? Legislation includes all written laws; Acts and Statues, enacted by a parliament  Draft= bills  Acts: Legislation created and enacted by parliament Regulations: Made based on the preceding Act (the Enabling Act) Enabling act will delegate the authority to whom will create and enforce the regulation Guidelines What is legislation ? Acts: Legislation created and enacted by parliament Regulations: “subordinate legislation” Guidelines: Documents created by the regulator to be used for interpretation of the Regulations + Legislation  Guidelines are not laws  Federal Legislation The government of Canada divides legislation into categories of : Environmental Protection  Water Act, Department of the environment act Pollution Prevention  Fisheries Act, Canadian Environmental Protection Act Biodiversity and Conservation  SARA, migratior Birds convention act, Canadian wildlife act Sustainable development Other Canadian Environmental Assessment Ac,  Federal Legislation Canadian Environmental Assessment Act - Environmental assessment to federal projects National Energy Board Act - Deals with federally regulated pipelines Canada Seeds Act - Control seed quality, seed grading standard  Alberta Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) - Centrepiece of Alberta environmental law - “To support and promote the protection, enhancement and wise use of the environment” - Provides for process of assessment, approval and registration  Revegetation/restoration falls mainly under Conservation and Reclamation Regulation - Specific part of EPEA - Address activities in industrial disturbances  Conservation and Reclamation Regulation Operator must conserve and reclaim land to an equivalent capability and obtain reclamation certificate  Duty to reclaim under EPEA Must follow terms and conditions in approval or guidelines and criteria for specific industries Equivalent land capability = ability of land to support land use after reclamation similar to ability that existed prior to disturbance, but not necessarily  C & R Regulation Approvals As per Activities Designation Regulation, Approvals needed for: Coal mines Oil sands mines Heavy oil production sites >2000m3/day Sour gas plants >2.8 tonnes S/day Transmission lines>50000kVolts Quarry >45000 tonnes/per Sand, gravel, peat pit >5 ha on private land Pipeline index  Specific regulations Wellsites  Must meet 2010 Reclamation Criteria for wellsite and Associated facilities for Cultivated lands, Grasslands, Forested lands or peatland Pipelines  Reclamation certificate criteria for pipelines 2011 draft  Environmental Protection Guidelines for Pipelines Sand, gravel and peat pits  Code off practice:for Pits  Environmental Protection Guidelines for Pits  Specific regulations Coal and Oil Sands Mines  Guideline to Reclamation to Forest Vegetation in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region  Guideline for Wetland Establishment on Reclaimed Oil Sands Leases Oil Production Sites  Oil Production Sites  Exploration Operations  Environmental Protection Guidelines for Oil Production Sites  Specific regulations Transmission Lines  Environmental Protection Guidelines for Electric Transmission Lines Railways  Reclamation Criteria for Abandoned Railways  Roads  Roads and barrow pits must be reclaimed Exploration  Code of Practice for Exploration  Other Laws affecting revegetation - Alberta Provincial law: Water Act  Forest act Public Lands Act  Weed control Soil Conservation Act Federal law:  Fisheries act  Pest control products act Alberta One Stop  Revegetation Regulations - Saskatchewan  Saskatchewan environmental code  Results based regulation stating required standards Consolidates: The Environmental Management and Protec tion Act, 2010 The Environmental Management and Protec tion (Saskatchewan Environmental Code Ad option) Regulations The Forest Resources Management Act The Forest Resources Management (Saskatc hewan Environmental Code Adoption) Regul ations Revegetation Regulations -Saskatchewan  Guidelines  Reclamation of all oil and gas projects  All project proposals need at least basic reclamation plan  Guidelines  Restoration of SK’s Agricultural Crown Rangelands  Restoration of Wellsites and Associated Facilities on Cultivated Lands in SK  Saskatchewan Noxious Weed Act  2010 Reclamation Criteria 2013 update Government of Alberta EPEA Conservation and Reclamation Regulation 2010 Reclamation Criteria 2010 Reclamation Criteria  objective, repeatable, addressing ecosystem and management functions  promote efficiency and function  set objectives and direct compliance  cost vs benefit on agreed end land use  clear objectives, measures and decision factors Used to evaluate