Courtesy : iaac-aeic.gc.ca

Environmental impact assessment ands site selection

The methods that are used to conduct the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the Project are
described in this section. The EIA uses a methodological framework developed by Stantec to meet the
combined requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) and the New
Brunswick Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation (the “EIA Regulation”). These EIA methods
are based on a structured approach that, particularly:
 considers the mandatory and discretionary factors under Section 16 of CEAA;
 considers all federal and provincial regulatory requirements for the assessment of
environmental effects as defined by CEAA, with specific consideration of the requirements
of a) the Final Terms of Reference for an Environmental Impact Assessment approved by the
Governments of New Brunswick and Canada in April 2012 (Stantec 2012a), and b) the Final
Guidelines for an Environmental Impact Assessment (NBENV 2009) as issued by NBDELG;
 considers the issues raised by the public, Aboriginal persons, ENGOs, and other stakeholders
during consultation and engagement activities conducted to date;
 focuses on issues of greatest concern that arise from the above considerations; and
 integrates engineering design and programs for mitigation and monitoring into a comprehensive
environmental planning and management process.
CEAA defines the term “environment” as:
“environment” means the components of the Earth, and includes
(a) land, water and air, including all layers of the atmosphere,
(b) all organic and inorganic matter and living organisms, and
(c) the interacting natural systems that include components referred to in paragraphs
(a) and (b).
The New Brunswick Clean Environment Act defines “environment” as:
“environment” means the air, water and soil”.
For the purpose of this EIA Report, the definition of “environment” under CEAA shall be used, as it
more broadly encompasses the combined biophysical and human environment in its definition.
The EIA will focus on specific environmental components (called valued environmental components or
VECs) that are of particular value or interest to regulatory agencies, the public, other stakeholder
groups, and First Nations. VECs are typically selected for assessment on the basis of: regulatory
issues, guidelines, and requirements; consultation with regulatory agencies, the public, stakeholder
groups, and First Nations; field reconnaissance; and the professional judgment of the Study Team.
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For the purpose of this EIA Report, the term “environmental effect” is as defined in CEAA and broadly
refers to a change in the environment in response to a Project activity. Specifically:
“environmental effect” means, in respect of a project,
(a) any change that the project may cause in the environment, including any change it
may cause to a listed wildlife species, its critical habitat or the residences of
individuals of that species, as those terms are defined in subsection 2(1) of the
Species at Risk Act,
(b) any effect of any change referred to in paragraph (a) on
(i) health and socio-economic conditions,
(ii) physical and cultural heritage,
(iii) the current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by aboriginal
persons, or
(iv) any structure, site or thing that is of historical, archaeological, paleontological or
architectural significance, or
c) any change to the project that may be caused by the environment,
whether any such change or effect occurs within or outside Canada.
For convenience, the term “environmental effect” as defined in CEAA will be taken to be synonymous to
the term “impact” as referred to in the EIA Regulation. As such, the EIA Report will assess
environmental effects and impacts as defined by the respective federal and provincial legislation.
Taken together, the definitions of “environment” and “environmental effect” in CEAA include the
biophysical and human environments. As such, socioeconomic components that are part of the human
environment are encompassed in the definition of “environmental effect” as defined in CEAA, insofar as
they may be indirectly affected by changes in the biophysical environment. Thus, for the purpose of
this EIA Report, the term “environment” includes the biophysical, human, and socioeconomic
components as defined in CEAA, as they are required by both the federal and provincial governments
5.1 OVERVIEW OF APPROACH
The environmental assessment methods address both Project-related and cumulative environmental
effects. Project-related environmental effects are changes to the biophysical or human environment
that will be caused by a project or activity arising solely as a result of the proposed principal works and
activities, as defined by the scope of the Project and as described in the Project Description
(Chapter 3). Cumulative environmental effects are changes to the biophysical or human environment
that are caused by an action associated with the Project, in combination with other past, present or
reasonably foreseeable future projects or activities that have been or will be carried out.
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Project-related environmental effects and cumulative environmental effects are assessed using a
standardized methodological framework for each VEC, with standard tables and matrices used to
facilitate the evaluation. The residual Project-related environmental effects (i.e., after mitigation has
been applied) are characterized using specific criteria (e.g., direction, magnitude, geographic extent,
duration, frequency, reversibility, and ecological/socioeconomic context). These criteria are described
in the guidance of the CEA Agency (FEARO 1994) and the Final EIA Guidelines (NBENV 2009) and
Terms of Reference for the Project (Stantec 2012a), and they are specifically defined for each VEC.
The significance of the Project-related environmental effects is then determined based on pre-defined
criteria or thresholds (also called significance criteria) that reflect a variety of considerations based on
these criteria and other relevant considerations.
If there is overlap between the environmental effects of the Project and those of other projects or
activities that have been or will be carried out, cumulative environmental effects are assessed to
determine whether they could be significant, and to consider the contribution of the Project to them.
The environmental effects assessment methodology used in this EIA is shown graphically in
Figure 5.1.1. This methodology involves the following generalized steps.
 Scope of Assessment – Scoping of the assessment includes the selection of VEC (and, if
required, key indicators for the VEC) and the rationale for its selection; influence of consultation
and engagement on the scoping of the VEC; selection of the environmental effect(s); description
of measurable parameters; description of temporal, spatial, administrative, and technical
boundaries; and identification of thresholds that are used to determine the significance of
environmental effects. This step relies upon the scoping undertaken by regulatory authorities;
the requirements of the Final Guidelines and the Terms of Reference; consideration of the input
of the public, stakeholders, and First Nations that influenced the scope of the assessment; and
the professional judgment of the Study Team.
 Existing Conditions – Existing (baseline) environmental conditions are established for the
VEC. In many cases, existing conditions implicitly include those environmental effects that may
have been or may be caused by other past or present projects or activities that have been or
are being carried out.
 Assessment of Project-Related Environmental Effects – Project-related environmental
effects are assessed. The assessment includes descriptions of how an environmental effect will
occur or how the Project will interact with the environment, the mitigation and environmental
protection measures proposed to reduce or eliminate the environmental effect, and the
characterization of the residual environmental effects of the Project. The focus is on residual
environmental effects, i.e., the environmental effects that remain after planned mitigation has
been applied. All mandatory factors under Section 16(1) and 16(2) of CEAA are assessed for
all phases of the Project (i.e., Construction, Operation, and Decommissioning, Reclamation and
Closure), as well as for Accidents, Malfunctions and Unplanned Events. The evaluation also
considers the effects of the environment on the Project.
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Selection of Valued Environmental Components (VEC)
Rationale for Selection, Issues Identification, Regulatory Setting
Project Interactions with the Environment
•Identification of Environmental Effects
•Screening of Project-Environment Interactions
•Selection of Measurable Parameters
Identification of Environmental Assessment (EA) Boundaries
Spatial, Temporal, Administrative, and Technical
Establish Standards or Thresholds for Determining
Significance of Environmental Effects
(also known as Significance Criteria)
Establish Existing Conditions
Scoping of the Assessment
Assessment of Project-Related Environmental Effects
•Description of Project Environmental Effects
•Mitigation of Project Environmental Effects
•Characterization of Residual Project Environmental Effects
•Description of Effects of the Environment on the Project
Assessment of Cumulative Environmental Effects
•Screening of Cumulative Environmental Effects
•Identification of Other Projects and Activities
•Characterization of Residual Cumulative Environmental Effects
Determination of Significance
•Residual Project-Related Environmental Effects
•Residual Cumulative Environmental Effects
Follow-Up
Summary Assessment Conclusions
Repeat for Each VEC
and Environmental
Effect

Figure 5.1.1 Summary of Stantec EIA Methodology
 Assessment of Cumulative Environmental Effects – Cumulative environmental effects of the
Project are identified in consideration of other past, present or reasonably foreseeable future
projects or activities that have been or will be carried out, for all phases of the Project
(i.e., Construction, Operation, and Decommissioning, Reclamation and Closure). A screening of
potential interactions is completed to determine if an assessment of cumulative environmental
effects is required (i.e., there is potential for substantive interaction) for that specific Projectrelated environmental effect that overlaps with those of other projects or activities that have
been or will be carried out. The residual cumulative environmental effects of the Project in
combination with other projects or activities that have been or will be carried out are then