Sustainability and Environmental Management: Past and Present - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Sustainability and Environmental Management: Past and Present Lawrence Pinter, P.Eng. & Bryce Jardine-Pelletier, M.Eng, P.Eng., PMP

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 CHANGES • Site Assessment Methods • Environmental Assessment Process • From Dig and Dumps to Risk Assessment • Moving from Landfills to Recycling and Reuse • Moving from Gas Guzzlers to Hybrids and Electric Cars • Etc. AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Presentation Overview •Federal Environmental Management •Provincial Environmental Management •Contaminated Site Management •Sustainability AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) – 1970 • Promote Sustainable Development AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Natural Resources Development – World War II. – Environmental consequences of mega-projects. – Environmental effects. – Reactive rather than proactive AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Early Origins of Environmental Assessment – 1960s. – National Environmental Policy Act - 1969. – United Nations Stockholm Conference on Human Settlements took place in 1972. • Canada identified the study of environmental effects of projects as a high priority. • Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry from 1974 to 1977 AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Federal Cabinet policy – commitment to review the environmental effects of federal decisions in 1973. • federal lands and other areas of exclusive federal jurisdiction (e.g. nuclear power projects). – Environmental assessment became based on the principle of self-assessment: • Projects with significant effects were forwarded to Environment Canada – A 1977 Cabinet decision expanded panel membership to persons outside government. AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Examples of early review panels – Point Lepreau Nuclear Power Station (1975) – Eastern Arctic Offshore Drilling (1978): • Demonstrated importance of Aboriginal traditional knowledge . – Arctic Pilot Project – Southern Terminals (1980): • First joint federal-provincial review. AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Environmental Assessment and Review Process Guidelines Order (1984) • Toward a Legislated Process • Environmental assessment harmonization AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 1995 – Originally introduced as Bill C-78 in 1990. – Bill C-13 received Royal Assent in June 1992. – Amendments in Bill C-56 passed in December 1994. – Canadian Environmental Assessment Act brought into force in January 1995. AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Renewing the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act – Minister of Environment launched a review, 1999 • Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 – Combines screenings and comprehensive studies AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) – The predecessor to CEPA was the Environmental Contaminants Act (ECA). – CEPA was originally developed in the mid-1980s – Love Canal disposal site near Niagara Falls (New York) – CEPA was proclaimed and came into force on 30 June 1988. – “Its About Our Health! Towards Pollution Prevention” AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • CCME – CCME is the primary minister-led intergovernmental forum – The Ministers set the strategic direction for the Council and establish working groups – One of it key operating principles is consensus decision-making • Working groups – Air Management Committee – Cumulative Effects Working Group – Mobile Sources Working Group – Municipal Wastewater Effluent Coordinating Committee AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Federal Environmental Management – The Past • Working groups cont’d – Soil Quality Guidelines Task Group – Spills Scoping Group – Waste Management Task Group – Water Management Committee • Water Quality Task Group • Soil Quality Guidelines Task Group AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Provincial Environmental Management – The Past • 1930 – British North America Act was amended • 1972 - Department of Environment was formed and was amalgamated with DNR in 1993. • 1988 to 1993 - Saskatchewan Environment and Public Safety - SEPS • 1993 to 2002 - Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management - SERM • 2002 to 2007 Saskatchewan Environment to the now Ministry of Environment - SMOE AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Provincial Environmental Management – The Past • Expertise of experienced public servants. • Environmental Impact Assessment Branch was formed in 1975 with the SEAA being passed in 1979. • To assess large-scale proposals in the province AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Provincial Environmental Management • EMPA was passed in 1984 and revised in 2002. Subsequently repealed by EMPA 2010. • However, Objectives and Purposes remain the same • Saskatchewan Water Security Agency - WSA AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Contaminated Site Management • 1990s • 2003 Canada Wide Standards • 2003 Risk Based Corrective Actions AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Contaminated Site Management • The Canadian Council for Ministers of the Environment (CCME) developed the NCSCS in 1992. It has been used as a method for evaluating contaminated sites according to their current or potential adverse impact on human health and the environment. • Franz Environmental 2005 developed the FCSAP (Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan) scoring system. • The CCME incorporated changes and revisions and NCSCS 2008 was adopted as a requirement by MOE on 15 February 2010. • Always based on three contaminant components – contaminant characteristics, migration potential, and receptor exposure. AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 Provincial Environmental Management – A new approach • RBR – Results Based Regulation • Saskatchewan Environmental Code 2015 • The Future AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 SUSTAINABILITY • Two Extreme Points of View • Find the Balance • What is Our Legacy AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 SUSTAINABILITY • Quote from caribbeanhotelandtourism.com “ Environmental management is a systematic approach to finding practical ways for saving water, energy, and materials, and reducing negative environmental impacts. A proactive environmental management program is a win-win-win proposition because it can help a property save money, get recognized for environmental leadership, and preserve and protect unique destinations” • Being Environmentally Proactive is Cheaper AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 SUSTAINABILITY • First Nation Wisdom: Borrowing from Future Generations • Examples of Different Philosophies – Alberta Heritage Fund – Osoyoos Band • Challenge AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 SUSTAINABILITY • The Challenge To reduce this And increase this AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 SUSTAINABILITY • The Challenge More of this and this AGM – 23 June 2015

SEIMA AGM 23 June 2015 THANK YOU QUESTIONS/COMMENTS? AGM – 23 June 2015