welcome to the international right of way association’s course 600 environmental awareness

1

Welcome to the International Right of Way

Association’s

Course 600Environmental Awareness

600-PT – Revision 2 – 03.21.08.CAN

22

Introductions

Who we are…What we do…

Where we do it…

How long we’ve been doing it…

Our goals for the course...

33

Objectives (1) At the conclusion of the day,

you will be able to...

Discuss basic environmental science words, terms and concepts

Understand better environmentallaws and regulations

44

Objectives (2) At the conclusion of the day,

you will be able to...

Recognise both the adverse and beneficial impacts of projects on the environment

Learn approaches to avoid, minimise and mitigate project related impacts on the environment

55

Housekeeping

66

Schedule (1)

8:00 - 8:30 Introductions, Etc.

8:30 - 9:15 Environmental Overview

9:15 - 10:00 Environmental Conservation

v. Environmental Contamination

10:15 - 10:45 Environmental Biology

10:45 - 11:30 Environmental Impact Assessment

Process

11:30 - 12:00 Identifying Environmental Issues

77

Schedule (2)

1:00 - 3:15 Environmental Compliance

3:15 - 3:45 Right of Way Agents’ Rolesin the EIA Process

3:45 - 4:00 Summary and Review

4:00 - 5:00 Exam

88

Environment Defined (1)

Canadian EnvironmentalAssessment Act

Environmental Assessment and Consultant Improvement Act

EnvironmentalBill of Rights

99

Environment Defined (2)

Dictionary

Textbook

1010

Environment Defined (3)

...encompasses the biophysical (both biotic and abiotic), economic, social and cultural conditions and the interactions betweenand among them. The essential factors that contribute to the daily processes of life.

1111

Environment Defined (4)

Natural environment

Physical environment

Human environment

1212

Ecosystem Defined

The basic ecological unit, made up ofa community of organisms interacting with their inanimate environment.

The systems of plants, animals, and micro-organisms together with the non-living components of their environment and related ecological processes.

1313

Environmental Evolution (1)

1880s: Conservation movement begins

1880s: National parks

19th c.: Nation building

1930s: Great Depression

1940s: WW II and post WW II

1960s: “The Sixties”

1414

Environmental Evolution (2)

1970: Canada Water Act

1970: Fisheries Act1970: International Boundary Waters Treaty Act

1970: National Energy Board Act

1970: National Parks Act

1515

Environmental Evolution (3)

1970: Navigable Waters Protection Act

1971: Clean Air Act

1973: Federal Environmental

Assessment and Review Process

(Cabinet directive)

1616

Environmental Evolution (4)

1974-1975: Environmental Contaminants Act

1974-1975: Ocean Dumping Control Act

1989: Canadian Environmental

Protection Act

1717

Environmental Evolution (5)

Plus provincial and

territorial laws and policies.

1818

Environmental Legislation Hierarchy

1919

Environmental Legislation Types

Umbrella Legislation

Specific Pollution Legislation

Specific Industrial Sector Legislation

Land Use Control Legislation

Public Involvement Legislation

2020

Federal Legislation (1)

Canada Water Act

National Parks Act

Canada Environmental Assessment Act

Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Migratory Birds Convention Act

2121

Federal Legislation (2)

Pest Control Products Act

National Energy Board Act

Navigable Waters Protection Act

Dangerous Goods Transportation Act

2222

Exercise No. 3 (1)

Banff National Park created.

Environmental Bill of Rights.

Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

The term acid rain first appears in print.

Canada Water Act.

British North American Act.

1885

1994

1999

1872

1970

1867

2323

Exercise No. 3 (2)

• First Earth Day celebrated

• Prime Minister Trudeau creates the Department of the Environment

• Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement signed

• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act

• DDT banned

1970

2007

1903

1995 first proclaimed

1972

2424

Exercise No. 3 (3)

Environmental movement begins.

St. Basile le Grande PCB fire.

Canadian Dust Bowl.

First Canadian oil production.

Silent Springs published.

Rupert ’s Land becomes part of Canada.

1880s

1988

1930s

1857

1962

1868

25

Exercise No. 3 (4)

Klondike Gold Rush.

Transcontinental railroad opened.

St. Lawrence Seaway opens.

Exxon Valdez spill.

Hagarsville tire fire.

Hole in the ozone layer.

1897

1885

1959

1989

1990

1985

2626

Exercise No. 3 (5)

British Columbia joins the Confederation.

Lead paint phased out.

Alyeska pipeline completed.

1871

1970’s

1977

27

Provincial Environmental Impact Assessment Processes:

General Similarities

Legal Basis for Assessment

Lead Agency and Coordinated Approach

Screening Mechanisms

Public Participation

Environmental Impact Statements

2828

Conservation v. ContaminationConservation is the careand preservation of plants, animals, their habitats and natural resources.

Contamination is the introduction into air, soil or water of micro-organisms, chemicals, toxic substances, waste or wastewater ina concentration that causes adverse affects to humanhealth and the environment.

2929

Exercise No. 4

3030

Energy Sources (1)

Heat Energy Photochemical Energy

3131

Energy Sources (2)

Heat Energy

• Heats the earth

• Heats the atmosphere

• Drives the water cycle

• Provides air and water currents

3232

Energy Sources (3)

Photochemical Energy

•Utilised by plantsin photosynthetesis

• Fixed into carbohydrates

• Fuel for organisms

3333

Food Chain

3434

Trophic Levels (1)

Trophic levels arethe feeding position in a food chain (i.e., primary producers, herbivores, primary carnivores, etc.).

3535

Trophic Levels (2)

Omnivores: Feed at variuos trophic levels and feed on both plant and animal tissue.

Carnivores: Flesh eaters with their main energy source being herbivores.

Herbivores: Feed on plants.

Decomposers: Release nutrients.

3636

Nitrogen Cycle

3737

Environmental Impact Assessment (1)

An environmental impact assessment represents a systematic process for integrating environmental, socio-economic, cultural and health considerations in project planning and decision-making.

3838

Environmental Impact Assessment (2)

Phase I: Environmental inventory is conducted within a prescribed study area.

Phase II: Generates alternative routes and the selection of a preferred route.

Phase III: Detailed environmental survey of the preferred route. Preparation of the EIS.

3939

Exercise No. 5

4040

(EIA) Lessons Learned

Involve the public

Consider all issues

Provide adequate time

Consider monitoring data

Consider public interest concerns

4141

Case Study

4242

CEAALegislative basis for the federal practice of environmental assessment.

Ensures that projects are federally reviewed to ensure that they do not cause significant adverse environmental effects.

Provides the public with the opportunity to participate in the environmental assessment process.

4343

CEPA

Legislative concerned primarily with federal air quality objectives, emissions guidelines and emissions standards.

Takes a multidimensional approach to the control of all toxic chemicals.

Establishes a "cradle-to-grave” responsibility.

4444

TDGAThe Act promotes public safety and protects the environment during the transportation of dangerous goods, including hazardous wastes.

The statutes apply to those who transport dangerous goods and to those who manufacture, package andship the containment materials.

4545

Provinces and Territories

4646

Exercise No. 6

What environmental issues might arise due to:

• Widening a 10-mile road section from twolanes to four lanes?

• Maintaining an electric transmission corridor?

• Installing a 40-mile long fiber optics cable, including two navigable river crossings?

4747

Objectives (1) Now, you are able to...

Discuss basic environmental sciencewords, terms and concepts

Understand better environmental laws

and regulations

4848

Objectives (2) Now, you are able to...

Recognise both the adverse and beneficial impacts of projects on the environment

Learn approaches to avoid, minimise and mitigate project related impacts on the environment

4949

Thank you!

600-PT – Revision 2 – 03.21.08.CAN