offsetting in caribou range: the ngtl experience · 2020-03-12 · neb certificate conditions...
TRANSCRIPT
Offsetting in Caribou Range:
The NGTL Experience
22 February 2017
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Introduction
• NGTL has several pipeline projects conditioned by NEB to implement caribou
habitat restoration measures and provide offsets
• To our knowledge, NGTL is the only company that has been through the
implementation process
• Restoration measures are implemented after construction and are required to
be monitored for 15+ years.
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Pipeline Planning Process
Caribou Offset Development Timeline
NEB Certificate
Conditions
Preliminary
CHRP
Approved
Preliminary
OMP
Approved
NEB InspectionFinal CHRP
Approved
Final OMP
ApprovedCHROMMP
Approved
Submit
Preliminary
CHRP
Begin Construction
Submit
Preliminary
OMP
Complete Construction
Implement
RestorationSubmit
Final CHRP
Submit Final
OMP
Implement Offsets
Submit
CHROMMP
Begin Monitoring
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Background – Projects requiring offsets
Project Construction Restoration Offsets Monitoring
Northwest
Mainline 2012 to 2013 2014 2014 2016
Leismer 2012 to 2013 2014 2014 2016
Chinchaga 2014 to 2015 2015 2015 2016
Liege-Thornbury 2015 to 2016 2017 2017 2018
System Expansion 2017 2018 2017 and 2018 2019
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Background – Documentation
• Issues with condition compliance timing and
logistics of implementation
• Unsure of restoration expectations until filings
were approved or rejected
• Received conditions in 2012, whereby
construction was planned, provincial permits
received
• Multiple projects overlapping with filings –
leapfrog effect
• Monitoring plan rejected, resubmitted and
then approved with an condition of 15 years
of monitoring (costs had not been captured by
the project in planning stages)
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Background – Initial Timing
• Conditions received after construction
planning and budgeting (no minimal
disturbance used)
• Too late to apply for a timber salvage
waiver for rollback
• Too late to order appropriate seedlings
once plan was approved
• Too late to negotiate protected areas
for offsets so they were established on
other existing ROW in caribou range
• Too late to collect baseline remote
camera data collected for access
control monitoring
8
Background - Learnings
• Planning and budgeting occurs upfront
for restoration materials, future offsets
and monitoring
• Filings are generated in-house for
consistency
• Remote cameras are installed one year
prior to construction
• Streamlined filing schedule developed to
reduce overlapping filings
• Collaboration agreement in place with
the Province for protected offset areas
• Sharing lessons learned with the NEB
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Offset Measures Plan – Process
1. Restore habitat on the pipeline right of way
2. Quantify remaining disturbance after restoration (direct, indirect)
3. Apply risk multiplier (temporal, delivery)
4. Calculate the Initial Offset Value
∑ (residual direct disturbance + indirect disturbance + risk
multipliers)
5. Select offset location and measures off right of way
in priority range, limited 3rd party managed access, afforded long-
term protection, synergies for monitoring or partnering opportunities
6. Apply risk multipliers (temporal, delivery, spatial)
7. Schedule implementation outside of timing restrictions
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Offset Measures Plan – Multipliers
Delivery
Effectiveness and achievability of each restoration measure
• certainty that the technique will work
• Greater uncertainty – higher multiplier
11
Offset Measures Plan – Multipliers
Temporal
Time it takes each measure to be fully effective
• immediate, short-term, long-term
• Greater lag – higher multiplier
12
Offset Measures Plan – Multipliers
Spatial
Proximity of offset measures to the affected caribou habitat
• location of offsets in relation to the project
• Greater distance to offset area – higher multiplier
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Collaboration with AEP
• Offsets must be protected in
perpetuity therefore must be
prioritized by the Alberta
Environment and Parks (AEP)
• Under a formal agreement with
TransCanada
• Support a seasonal ecologist
program
• ALPac completes restoration in
designated offset areas
• Monitoring is coordinated with
other provincial programs
14
Consultation with Environment Canada
• Supportive of NGTL plans as submitted to the NEB
• At times differed from the direction of AEP
• Prefers offsets in the range that the disturbance took place however
this does not always coincide with priority areas
• Has stated a 4 to 1 ratio being preferable to maintain no net loss
instead of the NGTL multiplier model
15
Offset Areas
• Dillon Wildlands 54 ha (high priority)
• Legacy seismic line restoration
• Planting, mounding, rollback, tree-felling
• Reducing access (low access in this park)
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Dillon Monitoring Results
• One instance of human access on an untreated line (over 1 year)
• Shrub layer developed up to 2 m
• Dense regrowth
• No invasive plant species or weeds
• High survival of planted seedlings
• Wildlife observations through remote camera
17
Current Offset Plans
Future estimated offsets:
Liege -Thornbury (40 ha)
Liege - Pelican (70 ha)
Boundary (40 ha)
Agreement with AEP:
• Complete restoration in the Dillon
Wildlands
• Planning for offsets in Stony
Mountain Park
ALPac completes restoration in offset
areas that fall within their FMA
• Conducts planting and access
control
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Future Offset Areas
Stony Mountain
Dillon Wildlands (Area 5)
19
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Monitoring Program
• A Monitoring Program is required following the implementation of
restoration measures
• Years 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15
• The program will continue with monitoring and reporting to the regulator on
years 3, 5, 10 and 15.
• Year 5, 10, and 15 there will be a comprehensive review of the restoration
results (to ensure we are on track for success)
• Includes permanent vegetation monitoring plots
• Remote cameras (measuring access controls)
• Fly-over
• Imagery
21
Challenges and Lessons Learned
External
• Recreational access in wildlands is not ideal
• Few opportunities to collaborate with industrial players as business needs
are not aligned
• Open communication with our regulators and resource managers (NEB
and AEP) is essential
22
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Internal
• Capital costs, “for real” factor
• Planning and coordination work in-house to maintain
consistency in approach and methods
• Internal data sharing with operations
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Jennifer Barker
Environmental Advisor
Environment, Land and Indigenous Relations