environmental appeals board hearing - yyccares · in dr. david locky’s report en
TRANSCRIPT
EnvironmentalAppealsBoardHearing
PartIII
JeffBrookman
Oct23,2017
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2.WasthedecisiontoissuetheApprovalappropriatehavingregardtothepoten6alenvironmentalimpactsoftheworkauthorizedbytheApproval?c.theimpactofdisturbingthewetlandsspecifiedintheApprovalinthecontextofallofthewetlandsimpactedbythedevelopmentoftheSouthwestCalgaryRingRoad.
Prof.BlairFeltmate,ChairoftheFederalGovernment’sExpertPanelonClimateChangeAdapta<onandResilienceResultswasthecoauthorofthisJuly2017reporten<tled“WhentheBigStormHits”.FromtheDiscussion&Conclusion-Thisstudyconfirmsthatwetlandsconserva<oncanbeapowerfulmeanstoreduceflooddamagesrelatedtoriverineflooding.Asillustrated,simplymaintainingwetlandsintheirnaturalstatecanresultinfinancialcostsavingof29and38percentinruralandurbanseLngs,respecMvely,undercondiMonsofsevereprecipitaMon. 3
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Source:hYp://www.aipa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Tracy-ScoY.pdf
“TheRoleofWetlandsinFloodARenuaMon”AlbertaIrrigaMonProjectsAssociaMon2013Conference
8Source:hYp://www.aipa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Tracy-ScoY.pdf
“TheRoleofWetlandsinFloodARenuaMon”AlbertaIrrigaMonProjectsAssociaMon2013Conference
9Source:hYp://www.capf.ca/pdfs/Wetlands%20in%20Alberta.pdf
InaleYerfromRandyPoon(Director)toDianeS<nsondatedAugust10,2017.InthisleYertheDirectorstates,“The24wetlandswithinthisapplica<onarebothisolatedwetlandbasinsandhydrologicallyconnected”
HydrologicallyConnected
DavidLocky,PhD,PWS,PBiolGrantMacEwanUniversity
10Source:hYp://www.capf.ca/pdfs/Wetlands%20in%20Alberta.pdf
InDr.DavidLocky’sreporten<tled“WetlandsinAlberta:ChallengesandOpportuni<es”,includesthefollowingtwoslidesthatillustratehydrologicalconnec<vityofthewetlandstotheaquifer.ThefirstisgenericbutthesecondrelatestoastudyonthewestsideofEdmonton.Thisisbeingincludedtoillustratethattheproponentdidnotincludethiscri<calpieceofinforma<onwiththeirsubmission.
RegionalContext-HydrologicallyConnected
DavidLocky,PhD,PWS,PBiolGrantMacEwanUniversity
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Tab33oftheDirector’sReport:“WC01feedstothebeaverpondintheWeaselhead”Tab33page106of184inanemaildatedAugust3,2017fromAlana-RoseLynes(AEP)toMaYhewWilson(AEP)“Wetland9isconnectedtoWC01.HowwillWC01beimpactedbythelossofW09andhowwillhydrologybemaintained?”emailfromMaYhewWilsontoAlana-RoseLynesdatedJuly31,2017(Tab33page107of184)Theproponentdoesnothaveanygroundwatermonitoringwellssoonecandeterminethepre-construc<onandpostconstruc<onimpactsonthewatertable.TheDirectorshouldhaverequestedthesewells?Safetycomesfirst.
RegionalContext-HydrologicallyConnected
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Director’sRecord
Note:Giventhatwetlandsarehydrologicallyconnected,whywasn’tthe“hydrology”sec<oncheckedforreferral.ThisisaseriousbreachoftheAPEGA“DutyofCare”provisionintheCodeofConduct.
13Source:hYp://www.capf.ca/pdfs/Wetlands%20in%20Alberta.pdf
DavidLocky,PhD,PWS,PBiolGrantMacEwanUniversity
14Source:hYp://www.capf.ca/pdfs/Wetlands%20in%20Alberta.pdf
DavidLocky,PhD,PWS,PBiolGrantMacEwanUniversity
15Source:hYp://www.capf.ca/pdfs/Wetlands%20in%20Alberta.pdf
DavidLocky,PhD,PWS,PBiolGrantMacEwanUniversity
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OverlandFlooding
W011–11.7ha(28.9Acres)43.35millionU.S.gallons(164millionlitres)ofstoragecapacity
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45.6mofroadallowanceshiiedtothewestofthewetlandallowsoneto“avoid”thewetland
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Source:hYp://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/g10.pdf
TUCandRDA
• TheTransporta<onU<lityCorridor(“TUC”)receivesitsauthorityundertheRestrictedDevelopmentArea(“RDA”)provisionofthetheGovernmentOrganiza<onAct(“GOA”).
• TheauthorityfortheTUCcomesfromSchedule5Sec<on4(1)(e)
• However,Schedule5isallabouttheEnvironmentandthepreven<onofharm
• Plus4(1)(e)cannotbetakeninisola<onand4(1)(a)and4(1)(b)withtheprotec<onofanynaturalresourceofwatershedadjacenttotheAreamustbetakenintoaccount.
• TheTUCprogramisa“policy”justliketheWetlandPolicybutitdoesnothavepriority.
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• AEPhasstatedthatwewillbechargedwithtrespassingifweusetheTUC
• However,theCrowninrightofAlbertaasrepresentedbyINFRASownsalmostalltheTUClands
• ThismeansthattheselandsareownedbyAlbertans
• Further,theonlyreasonthatonecannotaccesstheTUCduringtheconstruc<onperiodisforHealthandSafetyreasons
AEPhasimpliedthattheTUCisaStatewithinaState
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• Theproponenthastriedtostatethattheseregulatorydelaysarepulngtheircomple<onscheduleatriskwhichthenputsatrisktheTTNLandTransferAgreementwheretheSWCRRhastobecompletedonoraboutMay15,2022.
• WenotethattheawardwinningNEStoneyTrail(“NEST”),21kminlength,wascompletedin18months
TTNLandTransferAgreement
• TheNESTteamapproachedAlbertaEnvironmentwithamethodtocompensatewetlandsthroughnaturalizedstormwaterpondslinkedthroughwidened,naturalizedditchingandrestora<onofuplandswithna<vegrass.
• TheprojectusedanexternalpanelofprofessionalstoprovideaPeerReview,expedi<ngtheprocessfromwhatwouldtypicallyhavebeenoverayearto5months.
• Theprocesswaswellreceivedbyallregulatorybodies.
• Theproponents<llhas4.5-yearstocompletetheSWCRR
• IftheproponenthademulatedtheawardwinningNESTbestprac<cethenmaybewewouldn’tbehere
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In1993wewereabletodothefollowingac<vi<es:• BringyourwaterboYleonanairplane
• Smokeinpublicplacesincludingrestaurants,barsandairplanes
• ShootfireworksoffinCitylimitswithoutapermit
• BuyrefrigeratorswithFreon
• Etc.
Regula<onschangeandweHAVEtoadapt
AdapMngtoChange
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• In1993ClimateChangewasnotamajorsocietalissue
• TodaywehavetheParisClimateAgreement
• WealsohavetheAlbertaClimateLeadershipPlan
• Wealsohavecarbontaxesthatencourageusalltoreducegreenhousegas(“GHG”)emissions
• Theproponent’sapplica<ondidnotincludeanythingrelatedtolifecycleGHGemissionsandtheimpactoffillingin24wetlands.ThisnolongerworksundertheCanadianEnvironmentalAssessmentAgencyprocess,justaskTCPL.
AlbertatransportaMonandtheproponenthavetolearntoadapt.Roaddesignhastoworkwithnature,theenvironmentandwetlandsandnottheotherwayaround.
SocietynowdemandsavoidanceasthepriceoffillinginourhighestfuncMonallandsistoohigh.
AdapMngtoChange
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• AstheHansoncasehasdemonstrated,regardlessofwhatpolicytheDirectorused,theBoardinmakingitsdecisionhastousecurrentpolicywhichistheAlbertaWetlandsPolicy(2013)
• Inmakingthedecisionregarding52statementsofconcern,theDirectorwasrequiredtouseAdministra<vePolicyESRDN0.5,2014andnotAPPC-2008-01.Thiserrorhasdeniedtherightsofpublicpar<cipa<on.
• Legislatedregulatorylaw,policies,procedures,guide,plans,etc.takeprecedentoverthetermsancondi<onsinaconstruc<onagreementandnottheotherwayaround
• TheAMECEAcannotbeusedforjus<fica<onfortheInterimWetlandPolicy(1993)becausetheAMECEAdidnotinclude14outof24oftheimpactedwetlandsandW11thelargestwetlandswasmisclassified.
• ThefieldworkfortheWetlandImpactAssessment(WIA)hascompletedinOctober2016andtheGolderAssociates(Dec2016)WIAistheonlyreportwithall24ofthewetlandsintheproponent’sWaterActapplica<on
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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• Theimplementa<onscheduleforthenewWetlandPolicyisveryclear,allapplica<onswherefieldworkiscompletedaierMay31,2015havetousethenewAlbertaWetlandPolicy(2013)
• UnderthePolicytheproponenthastocompletetherequisiteop<onsanalysisto“avoid”wetlandsandor“minimize”theimpactstowetlands.
• ThisisalsoarequirementoftheProvincialWetlandRestora<on/Compensa<onGuidebutitwasignored
• ThisisarequirementinSchedule18oftheproponent’scontract,i.e.whereisthesuppor<ngtechnicalinforma<onforwhytheycouldn’tavoidand/orminimizetheimpacttowetlands
• TheOnusisontheproponenttocompletethisop<onsanalysisandthecostbenefitanalysiswheretheop<onsarefairlyevaluatedagainstenvironmental,socialandeconomiccriteria.However,thisanalysisisalsomissingfromtheDirector’sRecord.
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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• TheonusisalsoontheDirectortoensurethattheapplica<onconsidertheregionalcontextandastheevidencehasshown,thehydrologyboxwasn’tevenchecked.
• Thisregionalcontextmustincludethecumula<veimpactsonthelossof24wetlandsandtheirfloodstorageandaquiferrechargecapabili<es.
• 22.16ha(54.76acres)hastheabilitytostoreupto82.14millionU.S.gallonsoffloodwater(311millionlitres)
• HomesalongtheTUCcorridorwerefloodedbyoverlandwaterin2005,
wherewillthiswaternowgoandwhereistheproponentsstormwatermanagementplan?
• Theproponenthasn’tconsideredtheimpactofthelossof24wetlandsonCalgary’sdrinkingwatersupply–theonusisontheproponenttodothisassessmentnotus
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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• TheproponenthasnotonlytakenshortcutswiththisWaterActapplica<on,theyhavenotfiledaWaterActapplica<ontofillinwatercourseWC01
• Theproponenthasviolatedtheirownripariansetbackandusedmachinesnothandtoolstoclearvegeta<onnexttothewetlands
• Evenwitha“stay”theproponentiswithin5mofW06and10mofW07• Theproponentalsodestroyedtreesandvegeta<onintheprotected
WeaselheadPark
• ThedammingofthewaterinWC01hascausedirreparableharmtotheeastsideoftheBeaverPond(W06)
• TheshortcutsalsoincludethefailuretoapplyforaWaterActapprovalforthe“causeway”thatisbeingbuiltintheElbowRiverValley
• TheGuideforCodeofPrac<ceforWatercourseCrossingsclearlystatesthataWaterActapprovalisrequiredforacauseway
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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• TheproponentandtheDirectorstatetherighttodoalmostanythingintheTUCisprovidedunderGOASchedule5,Sec<on4(1)
• Thisistheenvironmentalprotec<onsec<onoftheGOA
• 4(1)(e)cannotbetakeninisola<onandmustincludethecontextoftherestof4(1)where4(1)(a)statesthatonecannotcauseharmto“adjacent”naturalresourcesand4(1)(b)statesthatonecannotdoharmto“adjacent”watersheds.
• TheTUCisCrownlandandassuchisownedbythepeopleofAlberta.
• ThePublicLandsActdoesn’tapplywithinaTUCastheselandsareundertheadministra<vecontroloftheMinisterofInfrastructureandnottheMinisterofEnvironmentandParks
• Allotherlegisla<onapplieswithinaTUC
• TheonlyreasonthepubliccannotentertheTUCisforhealthandsafetyreasons,i.e.itsanac<veconstruc<onzone
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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• Theproponentmakestheargumentthattheappellantsarejeopardizingthecomple<onschedulefortheProjectandthattheTTNLandTransferAgreementmaybeatrisk
• WehaveshownthatasimilarPublic,PrivatePartnership(“PPP”or“3P”)project,NEStoneyTrail(“NEST”),wascompletedwithin18monthsandtheproponenthas4.5yearsbeforetheTTNLandTransferAgreementmaybeatrisk
• WehavealsoshownthattheawardwinningNESTprojectusedinnova<vemethodstosecurequickapprovals,buttheproponenthasnotincorporatedthelessonslearnedfromthisprojectortheirbestprac<ces
• Societyoiendemandschangeandeveryci<zenhastolearntoadapttochangeandAlbertaTransporta<on,theProponentandtheDirectorarenotexemptfromthesechanges
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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• Albertatransporta<onandtheproponenthavetolearntoadapt.Roaddesignhastoworkwithnature,theenvironmentandwetlandsandnottheotherwayaround
• Societynowdemandsavoidanceofwetlandsasthepriceoffillinginourhighestfunc<onallandsistoohigh
• IftheBoardconcursthatanapplicantcansimplystate“wetriedtoavoidandwetriedtominimizetheimpacttowetlands”withoutanysuppor<ngevidenceandthenmovedirectlytocompensate,thenyouareopeningthefloodgates,i.e.
• Everyoil&gascompany,forestrycompany,developer,etc.willdothesamethingandtheAlbertaWetlandsPolicy(2013)willberenderedmeaningless
• TheappellantsarecomplyingwiththeircivicresponsibilityunderAEP’sWaterforLifesustainabilitystrategyandtheAlbertaWetlandPolicy(2013)whereweareencouragedtobestewardstoprotectthewatershedsandwetlands.
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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• TheAppellantshavedemonstratedthatitspossibletoavoidmanyofthewetlandsandthattheimpacttootherwetlandscanbeminimized
• TheAppellantshavealsoshownthatmostoftheissuesrelatedtothisroadwayareassociatedwithnoncompliancewiththeMinisterofTransporta<onsJune14,2017direc<veontheOuterRingRoad
• TheAppellantshavealsodemonstratedthatregardlessofwhatissaidontheproponentswebsitetheyareinfactbuildinga16-18lanehighway
• Wehavealsoshownthata16-lanehighwaycanfitinthe100mmedianandwitha285mTUCtheproponenthasplentyofop<onsto“avoid”wetlands.
• Furtherwehaveprovedthatscalingbackthebuildto6-8lanesprovidedmul<pledesignop<onstoavoidand/orminimizetheimpacttothese24wetlands
SummaryandRecommendaMon
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RecommendaMon
1. TheappellantsrequestthatBoardmakearecommendaMontotheMinisterofEnvironment&Parks(the“Minister”)toreversetheapprovaloftheDirector
2. WealsorequestthatthewetlandsberestoredtotheiroriginalcondiMon
3. WefurtherrequestthattheBoardadvisetheMinisterthatAEPshouldnotconsideranyfurtherWaterActapplicaMonswheretherequisiteopMonsanalysisandcostbenefitanalysishasnotbeensubmiRedorpassesanAEPpeerreview.
SummaryandRecommendaMon