IAEA/CNSC RSLS Elliot Lake Ontario Canada Workshop

Presented by Amy Sparks

Environment CanadaMay 1, 2014

Federal Contaminated SitesAction Plan (FCSAP)

Outline

• Background• FCSAP Basics• Progress and Accomplishments• Guidance and Tools

What is a “contaminated site”?

• A contaminated site is "one at which substances occur at concentrations – above background (normally occurring) levels and

pose or are likely to pose an immediate or long term hazard to human health or the environment, or

– exceeding levels specified in policies and regulations."

Canadian Federal Legislation and Contaminated Sites

• No federal act or regulations specifically directed to contaminated site management

• Despite having no legislative authority, federal departments are diligent in the assessment and remediation of their sites

• To date, use of funding programs, policies and guidelines has been effective in ensuring sites are addressed

• “Polluter pays” principle• Primary responsibility: owner of the site (eg. for federal property, the custodial

department is responsible)

Federal Contaminated Sites• Sites on lands owned/leased by the Government of Canada (GoC),

or on non-federal lands where GoC has accepted responsibility for the contamination

• Contamination is most often a result of past activities with environmental consequences that were not well understood at the time.

In 2005: – 4200 known contaminated sites on Federal Contaminated Sites

Inventory (FCSI); suspected sites were not included – Extent of the problem not well understood– Environmental liability estimates were primarily based on

extrapolations and unassessed sites

The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP)Program Objectives • Reduce risks to human health and the environment from known

federal contaminated sites • Reduce associated environmental financial liabilities• Ancillary benefits

– employment, skills development and technology advancement

Funding • $3.5 billion, 15-year program established in 2005

– Program funding tied to recorded financial liabilities

Types of Federal Sites

• Result of practices/standards in government operations:– Leaking fuel storage tanks, PCB spills, heavy metal

contamination– Typical locations: military bases, federal harbours, airports, light

stations, firing ranges, First Nation lands, national parks

• Result of poor management practices of 3rd party operations on federal land:– E.g. Abandoned mine sites in the north

Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory(FCSI)• Mandatory reporting by custodial departments to provide

information on federal contaminated sites:‒ location‒ types of contaminants/extent of contamination‒ actions taken at the site ‒ costs‒ liability

• Information uploaded to a publically available database, updated annually

• Data used to estimate financial liability associated with the site (reported to Treasury Board)

Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI)

www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/fcsi-rscf/

FCSAP Program Basics (1/3)

• Contaminated Sites Management Process – Builds on framework established under Treasury Board policies

on managing real property– Takes a risk-based approach to addressing federal

contaminated sites in Canada– GoC has developed a science based 10-step process for

managing federal sites. For further details, you can consult the guidance document A Federal Approach to Contaminated Sites and the FCSAP Decision-Making Framework.

Federal Approach – 10 Step Process1. Identify suspect sites

Phase I 2. Historical review

3. Initial testing program Phase II

4. Classify site using CCME NCSCS / ASCS

5. Detailed testing program Phase III

6. Reclassify site using CCME NCSCS / ASCS

7. Develop remediation / risk management strategy Remedial Action Plan/

Risk Management Plan

8. Implement remediation / risk management strategy Remediation/Risk

Management 9. Confirmatory sampling and final reporting

10. Long term monitoring

Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Decision-Making Frameworkhttp://www.ec.gc.ca/Publications/default.asp?lang=En&xml=9B74C13C-A724-41BD-8FC7-E525E4BC81EE

FCSAP Program Basics (2/3)• Key Players in FCSAP Delivery

– Environment Canada manages the FCSAP program (the “FCSAP Secretariat”) with support from Treasury Board Secretariat

– Custodians work closely with consultants, contractors and trades people in the assessment, remediation and risk management of contaminated sites

– Four Expert Support Dept’s: • Environment Canada, Health Canada and Fisheries & Oceans

Canada review project documentation to ensure that the risks posed by the sites to human health and the environment have been adequately considered in the project proposals

• Public Works and Government Services Canada provides support for project management and procurement

FCSAP Program Basics (3/3)• Funded activities

– Site assessments – Remediation/risk management

• Cost-share – Based on “polluter pays” principle – Custodial Dept cost share 15-20% of total project cost– Projects >$90 million may be eligible for 100% funding

• Eligibility – Listed in the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory – Contamination occurred pre-1998– For FCSAP Phase II: only highest priority sites can be funded, i.e. those

ranked as Class 1, or Class 2 (if remediation begun before April 1, 2011) under National Classification System for Contaminated Sites (NCSCS)

CCME National Classification System for Contaminated Sites (NCSCS)

Score Classification

70 – 100 Class 1: High Priority for Action

50 – 70 Class 2: Medium Priority for Action

37 – 50 Class 3: Low Priority for Action

< 37 Class N: Not a Priority for Action

< 15 Class INS: Insufficient Information

• Basis for FCSAP screening process to determine eligibility for funding

Conclusion/Summary

• TB Real Property Policies apply to all contaminated sites under federal government responsibility

• Human and Ecological Health Risk Assessment considerations must be incorporated

• Stakeholders considerations must also be considered in the application of current and intended land use and criteria selection

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FCSAP Accomplishments to Date (2005/06-2012/13)

After 8 years of 15 year Program:• Better understanding of the size and extent of the federal contaminated sites

problem • Sites on the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI) increased from

4,000 known in 2005 to over 22,200 known or suspected sites currently• Assessment activity on 9,700 sites

• Completion of assessment on 6,900 sites• Remediation on 1,500 sites

• Completion of remediation on 730 sites • $2.054B spent as of 2013 (of which $1.844B FCSAP funding; $210M

custodian funding)• Over 11,000 jobs created

FCSAP Expert Support Guidance and Tools

Tools for improved decision making• Decision-Making Framework • Priority for Assessment Tool • Cost Management/Lessons Learned Database Framework

General and Science-Based project management tools/guidance• FCSAP Database of Guidelines • Revised FCSAP 2009 Aquatic Sites Classification System • National Classification System for Contaminated Sites and Aquatic Site

Classification System – Supplemental Guidance • Site Closure Tool• Long Term Monitoring Planning Guidance • Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance and Modules

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General and Science-Based project management tools/guidance (cont.)• Statement of Work for Ecological Risk Assessment • Nickel Human Health Soil Quality Guideline – Submitted to CCME in 2012 • Interim Advice to Federal Custodian Departments for the Management of Federal

Contaminated Sites Containing Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)• Interim Guidance on Human Health Risk Assessment for Short-Term Exposure to

Carcinogens at Contaminated Sites • Sustainability Decision Support Tool • Sediment Costing Tool • Management Handbook for Contaminated Sites Remediation • Case Studies and Best Practices Guidance

For more FCSAP Guidance, please visit the FCSAP Web portal at: http://www.federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=B15E990A-1

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FCSAP Expert Support Guidance and Tools

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Thank You

Questions?

More information:

Federal Contaminated Sites Web portalwww.federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca

Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/fcsi-rscf

FCSAP.PASCF@ec.gc.ca