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 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

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

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

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 • • • 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

• 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 • • • •

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

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

• 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 • • •

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

Legend

Proponent Responsibility AANDC Responsibility Available Tool E.g. Form) Designated Project – Outside AANDC’s role Project on AANDC Minor Project List AANDC completes last page of PD and provides advice on any Environmental Best Practices Proponent provides Environmental Compliance form completion documentation t o AANDC as part of Environmental Best Practices , mitigation measures incorporated into permits, leases, funding agreements Report is approved.

Project may proceed

Proponent prepares Project Description Form (PD) as early as possible AANDC reviews PD , determines level of Environmental Review Required.

Simple Environmental Review Proponent completes a Simple Environmental Review form

No

AANDC reviews report and proposed mitigation

Are significant adverse environmental effects likely?

Detailed Environmental Review Proponent prepares Environmental Review report in accordance with the Terms of Reference / Detailed Environmental Review Template and submits to AANDC

Yes Proponent Tool Box

Flowchart (this document) Project Description Form - Fillable Simple Environmental Review form Terms of Reference/Detailed Environmental Review Template Environmental Compliance Form CEAA 2012 Designated Projects List EA overseen by Agency /NEB/CNSC

Project cannot proceed

Or

Refer to Governor in Council to determine if effects are justified

Source Water Protection & Water Quality

• Source Protection Planning • Individual Household Wells • Water Quality Standards/Objectives • Legislation & Policy • Funding • • • •

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

Contaminated Site Assessment and Remediation

• 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 • •

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

Fuel Storage Tank Systems, Spills & Environmental Emergency Response

• Capital Project Planning • Operation & Maintenance Codes of Practice • Emergency Response Planning • Legislation & Regulations • Funding • • •

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

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 [email protected]

Deneen Brigham Environmental Scientist OFNTSC 200 South Syndicate Ave.

Thunder Bay, ON P7E 1C9 Tel. (807) 623-9595 [email protected]