ICRP Recap 1
Closure and Reclamation Planning • Describe activities to be planned and completed prior to and following the end of the operational life of a facility to make sure that it is properly closed and reclaimed • Guidance provided in Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board’s (MVLWB) “ Guidelines for the Closure and Reclamation of Advanced Mineral Exploration and Mine Sites in the Northwest Territories ”. 2
Interim Closure and Reclamation Plan (ICRP) • Interim plan for closure & reclamation which will be reviewed during the remaining life of the Operations • Required under the SLWB-issued Water Licence for the Operations • Working Group has been the main vehicle for ensuring that community perspectives and requirements are reflected in the ICRP • A more defined version of this plan will be developed closer to the scheduled closure of the Operations. 3
ICRP Planning & Working Group Involvement 2014-2015 4
ICRP Planning & Working Group Involvement 2016-2018 5
C&R Planning Approach • Follows the Objectives-Based approach recommended in the MVLWB guidelines • Imperial and the Working Group agreed to adopt the overall closure goal from the guidelines: “To return the site and affected areas to viable and wherever practicable, self- sustaining ecosystems that are compatible with a healthy environment and with human activities.” 6
Closure Objectives • Describe what the selected closure activities should aim to achieve • Set measurable, achievable targets • Site-wide Objectives apply property- wide and address: > overarching values as established by the Working Group > key environmental components or ‘media’, including air, land, water and wildlife. 7
Site-wide Objectives: Overarching Values • Landscape closed and reclaimed in a manner that reflects consultation with community members and associated Traditional Knowledge and use. • Removal or mitigation of physical and chemical hazards. • Incremental disturbance of land required to support closure and reclamation activity minimized. • Compliance with legal, regulatory and corporate obligations. • Archaeological and historically significant sites identified by entities such as the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, Norman Wells Historical Society, regional Land Corporations and Secretariat are protected and preserved. 8
Site-wide Objectives: Environmental • Water quality that is safe for humans, wildlife and aquatic life • Water quality that does not cause an adverse effect on natural watercourses such as the Mackenzie River and Bosworth Creek. • Hydrology and drainage of the reclaimed land surface generally consistent with the character of the local watershed and appropriate to the defined land use. • Terrain restoration to allow safe utilization and passage by terrestrial wildlife. • Soil that is safe for people and the environment. • Closed and reclaimed landscape that is physically stable, safe, and consistent and compatible with the surrounding natural area. • Dust levels at the closed and reclaimed site safe for people, vegetation, wildlife, and aquatic life. • Above-ground facilities, infrastructure and debris are removed. • Below ground facilities and infrastructure are abandoned or removed as appropriate for safe utilization of the defined future land use. 9
Closure Components • Closure Components help coordinate a consistent approach to planning • 4 distinct geographic areas: > 1 Mainland, > 2 Natural Islands, > 3 Artificial Islands, and > 4Natural Watercourses. • 3 different types of major infrastructure/functional features: > Surface Buildings & Equipment, > Subsurface Infrastructure, and > Wellbores. 10
Component Specific Objectives • Objectives developed for Closure Components. • Some match the site-wide objectives. Others are unique to a project component. • Common themes: > Reflects consultation with community members, Traditional Knowledge and use. > Soil and water that are safe for humans and the environment. > Compliance with legal, regulatory and corporate obligations. > Removal or mitigation of physical and chemical hazards. > Identified Archaeological and historically significant sites protected and preserved. > Closed landscape that is physically stable, safe, and compatible with the surrounding natural area. 11
Closure Options • Set of proposed alternatives for > how well each addressed potential closing each project component safety and environmental risks > possible benefits to the community (e.g., business & employment benefits). • Closure options for the Operations were evaluated to determine: > how well each option met the closure objective(s) > how well each was expected to perform 12
Closure Activities • Specific actions and measurements completed to meet closure objectives. • Closure activities are described in the ICRP. • Key closure activities and ICRP planning priorities: > Long Term Management Facility (LTMF) > Artificial Islands 13
ICRP – Next Steps • Seek Working Group and other stakeholder input on ICRP planning priorities (i.e. LTMF, Artificial Islands) • Update ICRP to reflect current planning, stakeholder feedback and technical studies (2019) • Ongoing Stakeholder and Sahtu community engagement 14
Artificial Islands 15
Artificial Islands • The islands were constructed between 1983 and 1984 and are located in relatively shallow water near the edge of the main river channel • Constructed with a sand core dredged from the river channel contained with a rock berm sourced from the local quarry • Surface infrastructure and facilities on the islands include: > docking areas > access ramps > well/facility pads > both injection and production wells 16
Artificial Islands - Construction 17
Artificial Islands - Slope Protection • Islands need to withstand the forces • Critical areas of slope protection of ice, rapidly changing water levels, (armouring) maintained on sections extreme currents and waves with high erosion potential, and areas most vulnerable to ice action 18
Mackenzie River at Norman Wells • Reach at Norman Wells is relatively straight and very wide (1.4km to 6km wide) • Carries a naturally high sediment load. Suspended sediment values at Norman Wells can seasonally exceed CCME Guidelines for the Protection of Aquatic Life • Fish species present near Norman Wells include Arctic grayling, northern pike, walleye, Goldeye, Burbot, inconnu, mountain whitefish, longnose sucker, broad whitefish and Arctic lamprey 19
Artificial Islands - C&R Options • Impacted soils that do not meet criteria will be consolidated within the Mainland LTMF • Imperial is examining various alternatives for the islands post closure > Options include allowing the natural erosion processes and movement of the Mackenzie River to return the sands in the core of the islands to the riverbed after all or portions of the existing island armour is removed > Decisions on possible reclamation approaches will be informed by upcoming technical studies and stakeholder engagement and consultations 20
Artificial Islands - Further Studies • Imperial is planning to complete an assessment of the fish and fish habitat in the immediate vicinity of the Artificial Islands • Purpose is to understand the extent of fish habitat that that may have established within the armouring of the islands since their construction in the mid- 1980’s • Outcomes of this study will be used along with previously collected baseline fisheries information and other technical studies to inform ongoing consideration of post-closure options for the islands 21
Artificial Islands - Further Studies • Additional studies will be undertaken to assess possible reclamation approaches based on: > Mackenzie River morphology (i.e. sediment release and deposition) > Fish and fish habitat > Green and Sustainable Remediation (GSR) • Ongoing Stakeholder and Sahtu community engagement 22
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