MV2005L2-0015 Gahcho Kué Project AEMP AEMP Workshop, Yellowknife, 10 February 2014
AEMP Workshop Agenda Introductions • Workshop Objectives • Project Update • Conceptual AEMP Design Plan • – Overview o Conceptual Site Model and Study Areas – Update on Feedback Received to Date – Review and Discuss Community Engagement and Traditional Knowledge – Component Specific Monitoring Plans o Hydrology, Water Quality, Sediment Quality, Plankton and Benthic Invertebrates, Fish and Fish Health o Baseline Information and Monitoring – Response Framework, Action Levels and Weight of Evidence – Special Studies Next Steps/Future Meetings • – Working Group 2
Introductions De Beers Canada Inc. De Beers Canada Inc. Ver eronica Chisholm nica Chisholm Permitting Manager Craig Blackie Craig Blackie Environmental Superintendent - Permitting Rob Mello b Mellow Environment - Site Golder Associat Golder Associates Ltd. es Ltd. Zsolt K Zsolt Kovats ts AEMP Lead Kristine Mason Kristine Mason Fish and Fish Habitat Nathan Schmidt Nathan Schmidt Hydrology Rainie Sharpe Rainie Sharpe Fish Health Peter Chapman r Chapman
Workshop O Wo Objectives • Provide a Project update • Review and discuss Conceptual AEMP Design Plan • Review community engagement/traditional knowledge approach • Open discussion and review of proposed AEMP monitoring for key components: Hydrology • Water Quality and Sediment Quality • Plankton, Benthic Invertebrates • Fish • • Review Response Framework, proposed Action Levels, and Weight of Evidence • Describe any Special Studies • Plan Next meeting 4
Project Timeline and Update Baseline sam Baseline sampling begins in 1 ling begins in 1996 996 • December 2010- submission of the EIS • November/ December 2012- Public hearings of EIR process • March, 20 Mar h, 2013- 3- AEMP w EMP wor orkshop shop • Sit Site w workshops- kshops- August 20 gust 2013 - ( Aspects of the AEMP discussed ) Aspects of the AEMP discus • EIR process concluded with Ministerial sign-off in October 2013. • PLUP received on November 29, 2013 • Application for Type A Water Licence and Land Use Permit for Mining and Milling submitted • on November 29, 2013 Comments from Reviewers due on January 16, 2014 • De Beers responses to reviewer comments January 27, 2014 • AEMP workshop- AEMP w kshop- Februar ebruary 1 y 10, 20 , 2014 • Technical Sessions February 11-13, 2014 • Public Hearing May 5-7, 2014 • Water Licence/ Land Use Permit possibly issued September 2014 • • AEMP finalized prior to issuance of Type A WL 5
De Beers EIR Commitments Related to AEMP • Effects monitoring programs will include an SNP that focuses primarily on Project site operations, as well as a more broadly focused AEMP • The AEMP will have a study design developed according to currently accepted statistical design principles and regulatory guidance Components will include hydrology, water quality, sediment quality, lower • trophic communities (e.g., plankton and benthic invertebrates) and fish It will also include monitoring related to the downstream flow mitigation • plan • Monitoring will be conducted during construction, operations, closure, and post-closure phases of the Project 6
De Beers EIR Commitments Related to AEMP (cont’d) • Monitoring will involve programs focused on the receiving environment, with objectives of: • verifying conclusions of the EIS • evaluating short-term and long-term effects on physical, chemical, and biological components of the aquatic ecosystem of Kennady Lake • estimating the spatial extent of effects • providing necessary input to adaptive management • AEMP guideline documents will be considered in the development of the AEMP, as well as other related documentation publicly available from existing northern mines • The development of the AEMP will involve regulatory and aboriginal input, and inclusion of TK, where possible 7
De Beers EIR Commitments Related to AEMP (cont’d) Monitoring stations will be selected during detailed design phase of the • AEMP, and will consider the type and magnitude of predicted effects and sensitivity of the affected habitat De Beers commits to continue to develop AEMP water quality benchmarks • in the preliminary design of an AEMP for the Project The AEMP will incorporate a response framework, so that adaptive • management, additional mitigation, and/or monitoring can be applied, where necessary The AEMP will allow for adaptive management, so that any unexpected • adverse impacts to the aquatic ecosystem identified through the AEMP can be addressed (i.e., implementation of additional mitigation or compensation, as required) 8
Community Engagement / Traditional Knowledge Water and Fish monitoring during Winter 2012 Received feedback on fish out and key concerns with respect to fish in Kennady Lake and downstream • Discussed Kennady Lake Closure • Site workshops in Aug/Sept 2012 Water quality downstream – discussed monitoring locations in Kennady Lake and downstream • Discussed fish movement (grayling) and experience at other mine sites • Looked at Kirk Lake as possible TK Monitoring location and fish tasking • Hydrology – connection from Kirk-Fletcher- Hoarfrost • Suggested locations on where to net fish • Spring 2013 Community Visits Youth and Elders • Look at locations using model • Fish inspections and monitoring • Summer 2013 Site Workshop Mock AEMP monitoring • 9
Feedback Criteria for selecting reference lakes • Better explanation of Weight of Evidence approach • Lessons learned from fish tasting events at other mines • Linking response framework to monitoring objectives. • Pros and cons of small vs. large bodied fish • Concerns about mercury in fishes in raised lakes following de-watering • Enough baseline? • Methodology for sediment sampling- Ekman grabs vs. cores • The importance of updating closure objectives as monitoring proceeds • Should be monitoring Kirk Lake as well- will be important part of response • framework. Rationale needed for hydrology site locations • Dissolved oxygen sampling in winter • Duration of raised D/E lakes • When does Kennady Lake become a water management pond. • Distinguishing SNP and AEMP programs • 10
11 Dewatering
Operations Dyke E Dyke D Dyke A1 Fine PKC Facility Dyke L Area 1 From Lake N11 Area 3 Dyke B Coarse Dyke F Area 5 Area 4 PK Pile Dyke M Tuzo Area 8 West Mine Rock Pile Dyke J 5034 Dyke I Dyke H Area 7 Dyke A Dyke G Area 6 Dyke N Dyke K Hearne South Mine Rock Pile
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Gahcho Kué – AEMP Concept AEMP is a Conceptual requirement AEMP Design of the Water Plan Licence Objectives: Objectives: a) To determine the short- and c) To assess the efficacy of long-term effects of the mitigation used to minimize Project on the receiving the effects of the Project on environment; the Receiving Environment; b) To test the predictions made and in the Environmental d) To identify the need for Assessment (EA) or in other additional mitigation , if submissions to the Board required, to reduce or regarding the impacts of the eliminate Project-related Project on the Receiving effects. Environment; 14
EIS Predictions Hydrology – Changes in water levels and flows Water and sediment quality – Increases in major ions, nutrients and some metals – No acid deposition effects Plankton and benthic invertebrates – Increase in primary productivity Fish – Isolation of Kennady Lake for operations o Fish-out – No changes to fish community outside of Kennady Lake Effects will decrease with distance downstream 15
AEMP Aquatic Components Key Com y Components onents Hydrology • Water Quality • Sediment Quality • Phytoplankton and Zooplankton • Benthic Invertebrates • Fish • – Health – Tissue metals – Tasting – Community/Presence Traditional Knowledge • Suppor Supporting Com ting Components/Data ponents/Data SNP • Special Studies • 16
AEMP Approach - Hypotheses Effects due to Project Activities • Toxicity from operational discharge or inputs from mine structures • Nutrient enrichment from operational discharge or seepages form mine structures • Habitat alteration Key Questions for Each Component • Example from Water Quality: – Is water in Lake N11 during construction and operations phases safe to drink? – Is water in Lake N11 suitable to maintain a viable aquatic ecosystem? 17
Conceptual AEMP Design Plan 18
Approach to AEMP Phased approach – construction, operations, closure, and post-closure: • Monitoring depends on key project activities (effort to be focused at different locations at different frequencies throughout project) Proposed Monitoring areas: • Core lakes – Area 8 (and Kennady Lake), Lake N11, Lake 410, and Kirk Lake • Reference lakes – 2 lakes (from Reference Lake 2, 3, and East Lake?) • Diversion lakes – Lakes A1, D2 and D3, and J1 • Downstream lakes and streams – between Area 8 and Lake 410 Initial design is for first 5 years – construction (2 years) and early stages of operations (3 years) 19
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