130 likes | 205 Views
OFNTSC Southern Tribal Council, Large & Unaffiliated First Nations Meeting, Oct. 24-25, 2012. Environment Unit Update. Stephanie Allen & Deneen Brigham, Environmental Scientists. Environment Program Mandate.
E N D
OFNTSC Southern Tribal Council, Large & Unaffiliated First Nations Meeting, Oct. 24-25, 2012 Environment Unit Update Stephanie Allen & Deneen Brigham, Environmental Scientists
Environment Program Mandate OFNTSC will work closely with its clients in providing a wide range of Environmental advisory services to support the increasing demand to build technical capacity and a sustainable environment Clients: Tribal Councils Large First Nations Unaffiliated First Nations including OFNTSC staff directly serving these FNs Corporate: Support to various committees e.g. COO, NOFNEC OFNTSC Board & Management e.g. briefing notes, proposals
Environment Program Services Types of Services: • Advisory – provision of information such as generic TOR, BMPs, guidance material, AANDC process, forms, policy & legislation, funding • Technical – scientific / technical project reviews, support to project committees • Training – dependent on client needs and available funding • Special Projects – based on need, time, and funding availability
Environment Program • Managed by Brian Staats, Operations Manager • 2 Environmental Scientists Stephanie Allen • Toronto office • Directly serves southern region First Nations & Tribal Councils Deneen Brigham • Thunder Bay office • Directly serves northern region First Nations & Tribal Councils • Environment Intern: Trevor Wells Solid Waste Management & Diversion Environmental Assessment Spills & Environmental Emergencies Water Quality & Source Water Protection Contaminated Site Assessment & Remediation Community Sustainability & Planning Energy Efficiency & Conservation Environmental Education and Awareness Environmental Legislation & Regulations Environment Funding Opportunities
Solid Waste Management New & Noteworthy • Waste Diversion Opportunities: ongoing advisory services and assistance related to Blue Box, Waste Electronics, Tires, and Household Hazardous Wastes • OFNTSC First Nations Landfill Operations & Maintenance and Waste Diversion Training 2-day Course • Completed the Sudbury Area FNs Recycling Evaluation Project and associated professional waste audit. 21 First Nations participated in this project. • Next steps: 4-season waste audit Solid Waste Management Planning Source Reduction & Diversion including waste auditing Landfill Operations & Maintenance Best Practices Siting Studies Bird Hazard Studies Capital Project Planning Special Wastes Legislation & Policy Funding
First Nations Natural Attenuation Landfill Operations & Maintenance Course • 2-day course developed by OFNTSC with the assistance of Stantec and through generous funding from AANDC • Designed for FNs Public Works and Landfill Managers • Participants develop a Landfill Operations & Maintenance Manual for their site during the course • 3 offerings to date: Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout, Rama FN • Course being planned for this FY, • funding dependent
Environmental Assessment New & Noteworthy • CEAA 2012 eliminates most environmental assessments for on-reserve capital projects however provision in the Act requires AANDC to continue to ensure environmental protection of federal and reserve lands • New AANDC environmental assessment process and forms • OFNTSC ongoing provision of advisory and technical assistance in relation to environmental assessments for on-reserve capital infrastructure projects CEAA triggers & process AANDC forms and approvals process Federal and Regulatory Authorities Harmonization with provincial EA processes Project Descriptions and Scoping Alternatives & Mitigation Determining Significance Legislation & Policy
Proponent prepares Project Description Form (PD) as early as possible Legend Proponent Responsibility AANDC reviews PD , determines level of Environmental Review Required. AANDC Responsibility Available Tool E.g. Form) Designated Project – Outside AANDC’s role Project on AANDC Minor Project List Simple Environmental Review Detailed Environmental Review CEAA 2012 Designated Projects List EA overseen by Agency /NEB/CNSC AANDC completes last page of PD and provides advice on any Environmental Best Practices Proponent prepares Environmental Review report in accordance with the Terms of Reference / Detailed Environmental Review Template and submits to AANDC Proponent completes a Simple Environmental Review form AANDC reviews report and proposed mitigation Proponent provides Environmental Compliance form t o AANDC as part of completion documentation Environmental Best Practices , mitigation measures incorporated into permits, leases, funding agreements Project cannot proceed Or Refer to Governor in Council to determine if effects are justified Report is approved. Project may proceed Are significant adverse environmental effects likely? No Yes 8
Source Water Protection & Water Quality New & Noteworthy • Well Aware for First Nations Project has wrapped up. The project involved development of a First Nations specific booklet and fact sheets • First Nations Dedicated Children’s Water Festival Trailer plus a second trailer has been provided a home in Dryden – mini Children’s Water Festival held at OFNTSC Water Symposium • Source Protection Planning Toolkit Project – in development, currently looking for funding • Source Water Protection Planning Workshops – NOFNEC, upcoming HC mtg Source Protection Planning Individual Household Wells Water Quality Standards/Objectives Legislation & Policy Funding
Contaminated Site Assessment and Remediation Typical services provided: • advisory and technical assistance on remediation projects, and contaminated site assessments including Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Processes; • assistance with developing TOR for retaining professional project managers and consultants to complete assessment and remediation work Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessments Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments Human Health Risk Assessment Ecological Risk Assessment Remediation and Risk Management Innovative Remediation Technologies Legislation & Policy Funding
Fuel Storage Tank Systems, Spills & Environmental Emergency Response New & Noteworthy • Ongoing support in response to First Nations’ fuel tank spills and clean-up projects • Currently developing a Small Tank Project to provide First Nations with a Guide and training • AANDC Phase 2 Fuel Tank Assessment Project: work was completed, currently individual projects are advancing Capital Project Planning Operation & Maintenance Codes of Practice Emergency Response Planning Legislation & Regulations Funding
Other Areas of Activity • Advisory services related to: • Environmental Legislation & Regulation • Energy Efficiency & Conservation • Community Sustainability Planning • Funding Opportunities and other environment updates regularly posted to OFNTSC Forum • Environmental Education and Awareness: workshops and presentations
OFNTSC ENVIRONMENT CONTACTS Stephanie Allen Environmental Scientist OFNTSC 111 Peter St., Suite 606 Toronto, ON M5V 2H1 Tel. (416) 651-1443 ext. 243 sallen@ofntsc.org Deneen Brigham Environmental Scientist OFNTSC 200 South Syndicate Ave. Thunder Bay, ON P7E 1C9 Tel. (807) 623-9595 dbrigham@ofntsc.org