Ben Olson Ashley Rother Sam Stone Lauren Taniguchi Erica Werhun

1. Ben Olson Ashley Rother Sam Stone Lauren Taniguchi Erica Werhun

2. Project Overview • Bipole III Transmission Reliability Project • A new transmission line by Manitoba Hydro designed to improve system reliability • 1364km transmission line from Keewatinoow conversion station to Riel Conversion Station • Approximately 100m wide at all times • Positioned on the west side of Lake Winnipeg • Undeveloped land, Boreal Forest, etc. • Construction from August 2013-2017

3. Project Overview • Bipole III Transmission Reliability Project is designed to: • Transport electricity from the Keewatinoow Converter Station to the Riel Converter Station • Converter station converts alternating current to high voltage direct current (HVDC) • Direct current is more efficient over long distances • Less energy lost • Transmission line sends DC to Riel to be converted back to AC • distributed to Manitobans

4. Project Phases

5. Describing the Environment

6. Background Information • Describing the environmental baseline for Bipole III transmission corridor • Describes the environmental quality, as well as the environmental effects of the alternatives being assessed. • Provide insight so environmental effects can be identified, described, measured and evaluated. • Identifies environmentally significant features, geographic areas, and valued ecosystem components (VEC’s)

7. Protected Areas • Protected areas need to be identified in order to define an appropriate route to avoid said areas. • The Bipole III transmission line pathway will go around any areas protected by legislation such as: • Riding Mountain National Park and Duck Mountain Provincial Park. • Woodland caribou habitat is protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) • Protected areas of endangered amphibians and reptiles such as the plains spadefoot, the red sided garder snake • Protected habitats for birds such as the piping plover and the burrowing owl • protected under COSEWIC and SARA

8. Sensitive Areas • The Bipole III transmission line pathway will encounter some areas classified as sensitive such as • permafrost landscapes • agricultural lands • wetland habitats • woodland caribou and moose home ranges • Forested landscapes that are managed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), and the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI)

9. Critical Areas • The Bipole III transmission line project may intersect areas that are critical to the life history of a species such as woodland caribou and moose habitat that are identified by the Environmental Act License. • The intersection of PTH #6 and PTH #39 near Ponton, south of the Pas in the vicinity of PTH60. • The Bipole III transmission line corridor lies within 100m of the Lake Winnipegosis Salt Flats which is 2km away from the Ecological Reserve east of PTH #10.

10. Land and Resource Use The Bipole III Transmission line corridor covers a long stretch of land and therefore is in the area and region of land and resource uses such as: • Agricultural Land • Private property • Wildlife management areas • Provincial and National Parks (close proximity) • First Nations territory (reserved lands, traditional land entitlement) • Traditional resource management areas • Crowned lands • Waterways used for transportation

11. Valued Ecosystem Components • It is necessary for the Bipole III Transmission line project to select environmental indicators with measurable parameters. The valued ecosystem components that will be addressed will include: • Aquatic Ecosystems • Surface water (streams, rivers, lakes) • Wetlands • Fish and fish habitat • Ground water • Soil Quality • Compaction • Permafrost conditions

12. Valued Ecosystem Components • Terrestrial Ecosystems • Wildlife habitats and management areas • Woodland caribou • Moose • Piping plover • Riparian Zones • Unique landscape features • Boreal forest • Community Lifestyle and Culture

13. Environmental Components and Attributes • This section will identify the major components of the environment as well as the attributes and how they may be affected by the Bipole III Transmission line project.

14. Geography • Terrain can be degraded through project activities. • De-forestation and the disruption of agricultural lands • degradation in meters squared. • Bedrock • excavation and blasting causing erosion of landscapes and fragmentation of species. • Levels of exposure through meters squared. www.professionaltreefelling.co.za www.winnipegfreepress.com

15. Boreal Forest • Fragmentation • Patchiness • Corridors • Habitat degradation or alteration. • This can lead to extirpation of valued wildlife such as woodland caribou or perhaps even further endangerment to the species. uniter.ca

16. Soil • Soil conditions can be affected by compaction from project equipment, infrastructure, buildings, and structures. • Overland flooding • Reduce rooting capabilities • Measure soil porosity • Contamination by hazardous materials. • Measure pH levels • A portion of the project will also encounter landscapes that contain permafrost. • Removal of the active layer of soil exposing the permafrost. www.rrsd.mb.ca extension.udel.edu a-c-s.confex.com

17. Birds and Bird Habitat • Wetland habitat can be altered by drainage of lands for project development. • This causes loss of waterfowl habitat and the function of the landscape. • Indicated by reduction of biodiversity through counts and surveys. • Piping plover is an endangered species. • Loss of habitat may lead to extirpation • Measured by species abundance through population counts. pubs.usgs.gov wasagalife.com

18. Vegetation • Prairie grasses • affected by land clearing • reduces the amount of native prairie grasses • can encourage the growth of invasive species. • Indicated through biodiversity changes by plot surveys. • Riparian zones • Clearing of vegetation causing unstable bank slopes • Increases sedimentation levels in water bodies. Measured through light penetration levels to water body floors.

19. Ground Water • Impacted by contamination from erosion causing sedimentation as well as any potential risks of hazardous material leaks. • PH levels can be used to measure water toxicity • Light penetration levels to determine the amount of sedimentation. • Potential risk that aquifer charge/re-charge can be altered through soil compaction • Reduces the amount of surface water that can percolate to the aquifer. • Measured through the mass balance approach by measuring inputs and outputs. water.usgs.gov

20. Project Information Components and Activities • The Bipole III Transmission line project will be broken down in to specific components to enable the identification of how specific activities can affect the local and regional environment.

21. Transportation of Construction Materials • Infrastructure construction such as roads • Clearing and leveling of landscapes followed by road and pathway construction. • Use of heavy equipment • Transportation of major parts for the erection of the transmission lines. • Transportation of dangerous goods • chemicals, herbicides, fuels and oil www.borealbirds.org

22. Clearing Transmission Line Corridor • Topographical maps and orthophotos of suitable scales, descriptions and drawings showing the locations of the proposed routing for the corridor. • Bulldozing through trees and vegetation, leveling which may include blasting bedrock will be done in the corridor path. • Herbicide use • Removal of cleared vegetation corridor.anl.gov commonsensecanadian.ca

23. Camp Setup • Cleared area for the placement of trailers (living quarters) and materials. • Trailers and materials are transported in and established. • Trailers are leveled • Kitchens are installed and stocked • Sewage tanks are installed in the ground, • Power generators are installed www.discoverymining.ca

24. Construction of Bipole III Transmission Towers • Erection of the transmission towers along the cleared 1,364km corridor. • Heavy equipment use (contracted) • Electrical crews and lines-men install the power lines and electrical components. • Heavy equipment use • Fuel and oil tanks located near the active project site for the heavy equipment. • Tool trailers at the active sites • easy access to the tools and materials they need to complete their tasks. www.dalekovod.com www.cruxsub.com construction-engineering-centre.com

25. Interactions and Environmental Effects • Project activities and environmental actions will be identified and qualified. • The important interactions including the direct and indirect effects of project activities on the environment.

27. Legislative and Policy Framework • The Bipole III Transmission Reliability Project has a large spatial scale that will trigger certain environmental Acts and regulations • There are federal and provincial Acts and regulations that will require environmental licensing before construction can begin

28. Environmental DescriptionBackground Overview • Includes land, water, air, organic, and inorganic matter, animals and humans. • Understanding the environmental baseline for Bipole III is important in identifying • Significant features • Geographic areas • Valued Ecosystem Components (VEC)

29. Environmental DescriptionBackground Overview • Environmental Description • The transmission line creates fragmentation through large portion of the boreal forest, prairies, bogs, and agricultural farmland • The Transmission line creates corridors for wildlife areas • Special Features • Large regional area requiring different approaches and mitigation plans • Main Characteristics • Large portion of clearing in undisturbed ecosystem • Creates short term and long term effects throughout entire project • Land/Resource Use • Clearing • Construction • Habitat fragmentation • Other Relevant Information • Community life is effected: trapping, fishing, hunting, and recreational use • Effects sensitive areas of critical habitat

30. Environmental DescriptionBackground Overview Environmental Issues • Local Issues • Increased hunting and poaching due to access roads • Loss of livelihoods of Aboriginal and local farms due to the expropriation of land • Corridor creation increasing predation of sensitive species • Public Concerns • Noise pollution, aesthetics, woodland caribou population loss, cost of project, and infringement on Aboriginal Treaty rights • Information Requirements • Private property boundaries • Protected areas present and future • Regional Issues • Infringement on Aboriginal rights or Treaty Rights • Endangered species • Protected Areas • Environmental Sensitivities • Caribou and moose populations • Culturally significant sites • Bodies of water and adjoining aquifers

31. Environmental DescriptionBackground Overview • Information deficiencies • Exact method of clearing the path for the transmission line is unclear • Public opinions are unclear and hard to distinguish • Exact location of migratory species ranges are unclear • Population data and distributions are unclear

32. Environmental DescriptionBackground Overview • Prerequisite Actions • Understanding the geographical area • Pre-consultation actions to collaboration with direct stakeholders • Collaboration between the federal government and Aboriginal communities due to sec. 35 of the constitution • GIS mapping to outline alternative routes for the transmission line. • Legislation/ regulation, and licensing and permits should be in place to counter any issues that may arise. • Subsequent Actions • Continuous monitoring of vegetation growth near transmission line • Continuous monitoring of species use of corridors

33. Environmental DescriptionValued Ecosystem Components (VEC’s) • Value ecosystem components include: • Birds, aquatic ecosystems, air, noise pollution, soil issues/quality, terrestrial animals, amphibians, and reptiles • Bird Species such as the Piping Plover and burrowing owl may suffer habitat or nest damage duet to collisions with power line development and poaching through increased road access • Aquatic ecosystems, including hydrology of surface water may affect municipalities via drinking water sources such as lakes, rivers and streams. • Air and noise pollution from construction affects: residents, recreational users, and animals • Includes noise, dust, and GHG’s.

34. Environmental DescriptionValued Ecosystem Components (VEC’s) • Terrestrial animals are important representatives of non-human biota present near project sites, and also have cultural significance to Aboriginal communities. • Amphibians and reptiles may experience habitat loss and fragmentation, including disturbances to habitat Woodland Caribou Plains Spade Foot • Soil issues and quality can affect drainage, act as a pathway affecting other aquatic and terrestrial VEC’s, as well as exposing people to soil borne diseases. Red-Sided Garter Snake

35. Public ConsultationPublic Concerns • Cost of project increasing from $1 billion to $4 billion. • Importance: Impacts taxpayers dollars and the transmission line might have a reduced capability, due to reduced security and losses • Former VP of Will Tishinski from Winnipeg Free Press • Extra traffic during construction causing damage to habitats and scaring off animals. • Importance: The transmission line goes through important sensitive sites to the community, clear cutting of the land may cause habitat damage, and extirpate animals from the area. • Camperville Community Council • Local Caribou herds may experience negative impacts. • IMPORTANCE: Project could impact caribou populations, the movement and behaviors are sensitive to disturbances such as sound pollution • Tataskweyak Cree Nation • Treaty Land Entitlements are in close proximity to the project. • The transmission line could violate TLE regulationsand effect Aboriginal way of life • York Factory First Nation

36. Public ConsultationPublic Concerns • Several concerns relating to water safety, drainage, and aquifer stability. • Lack of understanding the long term impacts. • Clean Air Commission MB • Current proposed transmission route unreliable • There may be an increase in tax payers monthly bill payments • There may be an increase in power outages • Clean Environment Commission MB • Negative disturbances on Métis land that already has significant environmental impacts. • The Métis appealed environmental license because Métis rights were not meaningfully addressed. • Manitoba Métis Federation • Current route location will affect farmland . • Aerial spraying affects quality of agriculture produce, constructing the line decreased arable land for farmers • Manitoba Farmers

37. Public ConsultationStakeholders

38. Public ConsultationPublic Consultation Strategies/Techniques • Different stakeholders must be consulted with and taken into careful consideration in the planning phase • Strategies to best cater to the needs, requests and opinions of the affected stakeholders regarding all aspects of the project are outlined

39. Public ConsultationPublic Consultation Strategies/Techniques

40. Public ConsultationMitigation Measures in place to Address Public Concerns • Avoid Woodland Caribou • GIS home ranges of woodland caribou to avoid habitat destruction in sensitive areas • Alternative Route • Choose least destructive route, use overlay mapping to create alternative routes • Improve Efficiency • Knowledgeable staff to increase efficiency and equipment use. Proper planning and strategies to prevent additional costs to project • CEC Hearing & Aboriginal Consultation • Build meaningful relations and partnerships to negotiate with affected Aboriginal communities • Operate During Appropriate Hours Near Communities • Only operate from 07:00 to 20:00 to keep citizens happy and on board with project. • Environmental impact assessment: • Identify and mitigate adverse effects where possible

41. Public ConsultationOutstanding Public Concerns • Health of local communities including impacts by traditional hunting, fishing, and gather lands • Create socioeconomic monitoring plans • Mitigate construction activities • Impacts on spawning areas and aquatic habitats • Buffers between riparian areas, no fuel storage near waterways, avoid working near sensitive spawning areas • Vegetation Management • Use other means than chemical use to control for weeds ( eco-friendly biodegradable chemicals • Compensation for trapping • Identify sensitive sites, compensation due to relocation of trap-lines, biophysical monitoring plan • Environmentally anaesthetically pleasing • Create land hills to minimize the sight of the transmission line

42. Mitigation Measures

46. Effectiveness of Mitigation • Project is very large scale • ‘least destructive route’ (avoidance) • Long term project (100 years plus) it needs to be continuously monitored and maintained. • Rectification of the landscape cannot be done for a long time so long term monitoring of environmental effects from the project is a good ‘compromise’ and could better inform future projects of similar nature.

47. Effectiveness of Mitigation • Assessment every year for the first 10 years to validate compliance and effectiveness of the mitigation measures. • After the initial 10 years of assessments, they will continue every 5 years with non-periodical audits. • Learning purposes so that if the plans need to be reiterated, the assessment will adapt to the changing parameters. • Funding of wildlife/construction relationship research is an example that can help this process be more efficient. • Compensation • Information would be very beneficial for the use of similar projects happening elsewhere and would help improve environmental assessment processes of different projects and proponents.

48. Cumulative Effects Study area : First Nations lands, water quality, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, habitat loss/alteration, riparian zones, and hydrology Other project actions: future roads, present agricultural land intersecting transmission route, and future mining projects

49. Potential Cumulative Environmental Effects loss of trees and vegetation soil compaction removal of vegetation insulating permafrost landscape integrity loss of bedrock riparian stability 480km of fragmented forest displacement of ungulate species