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Cumulative Impact Management:

A Framework for Northeast BC

Presentation of Research Results

Science and Community Environmental Knowledge Fund

Presented by:

AXYS Environmental Consulting Ltd. and

Salmo Consulting Inc.

May 29-30, 2003

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Introduction

• What are cumulative impacts?

– Occur when the impacts of two or more actions overlap in time or space

• What’s happening in NE BC?

– High concentration of resource-based industries

– Relatively rapid growth and expansion

– High non-industry values (e.g., wilderness, traditional use)

• Why did this study come about?

– Concerns about proactively managing the impacts of multiple land uses on a finite land base

• Introducing concept of Cumulative Impact Management (CIM)

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Seeing the Big Picture:A Regional Approach to CIM

• What is a regional ‘framework’?

– Overarching strategy containing many separate but integrated pieces, some of which are already in place

– Tools and guidance for managing cumulative impacts in a way that is appropriate to the region and consistent with other regional initiatives (e.g., LRMPs, pre-tenure plans, etc.)

– Considers how environmental, social and cultural values are linked across a region

• How does this approach differ from what is being done now?

– Emphasizes cumulative impacts over other types of issues

– Provides structure around existing (and future) initiatives and management actions so that decisions are not made in isolation

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The Building Blocks:Defining the Pieces of the Framework

• What would a framework for Northeast BC look like?

1. Regional assessment

2. Indicators and thresholds

3. Application screening

4. Impact management

5. Research and monitoring

6. Other elements as available

• Result = Sustainable Resource Management Strategy (SRMS)

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Understanding the Landscape: A Regional Assessment

• What is included in the Regional Assessment?

– Baseline setting

– Issues of concern

– Valued ecosystem components (or ‘values’)

– ‘Hotspots’ (i.e., areas of concern for cumulative impacts)

• How will the Regional Assessment be useful for CIM?

– Starting point for identifying issues, impacts and ‘limits of acceptable change’

– Ongoing database of information

– Means of focusing research and management efforts on geographic areas of greatest concern

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From Theory to Practice:Indicators and Thresholds

• What are cumulative impact indicators?

– Physical/chemical (e.g., air quality guidelines)

– Habitat (e.g., habitat availability)

– Population (e.g., species abundance)

– Biodiversity (e.g., landscape diversity)

– Land Use (e.g, access density)

– Risk-based (e.g, likelihood of species extinction)

• What are cumulative impact thresholds?

– Science-based standards used to define limits of acceptable change

– Point a which an indicator changes from an acceptable to unacceptable conditions

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From Theory to Practice:Indicators and Thresholds

• T. Antoniuk Presentation (to follow) will answer questions:

– How do thresholds contribute to CIM?

– How can appropriate thresholds be developed in Northeast BC?

– What are the proposed candidate thresholds for Northeast BC?

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CIM at the Project Level:The Role of Application Screening

• How does looking at one application help manage regional cumulative impacts?

– Checking and tracking applications as they arise

– Slowing down the pace of change

• What are the challenges to implementing CIM at this level

– High volume of applications

– OGC commitment to relatively quick reviews

– Present lack of thresholds as basis for measuring change

• What is a Project Screener?

– Tool to check for cumulative impacts at application stage

– Adaptable for use with thresholds, but useable in interim

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Simplified OGC Screener

Routine Review

OGC review begins

OGC review continues

Expanded Review Conformance check Thresholds check Effects and mitigation check Specification of mitigation Specification of monitoring

1. Initiate Advanced Screener

2. Refer to OGC Advisory Group

3. Implement/continue regional initiatives

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CIM at the Project Level:The Role of Application Screening

• How is the Screener different from what the OGC is doing now?

– OGC presently addresses cumulative impacts but without a formalize tool/process

– Proposed Screener would have two levels (routine and advance) depending on complexity of application

– Proponents would need to provide information to track project contributions to thresholds

• How would the proposed changes be implemented?

– Participation of industry, First Nations and other stakeholders in development stages

– Pilot implementation period

– Thresholds implementation strategy

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More than Assessing Impacts:Impact Management at Multiple Levels

• What is Impact Management?

– Anything that can be done – either at the individual project or regional level – to minimize or eliminate impacts from human disturbances

• Why not just apply thresholds?

– Thresholds are complex undertaking if they are to be science-based and practically applied

– More research and testing of thresholds is necessary

– Impact management helps us ‘buy time’ until thresholds are in place

• How do we know if impact management measures are working?

– Research, monitoring and adaptive management

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Impact Management Measures

Project Level (Implemented by individual

operator)

Joint Project Level (Coordinated among operators with government participation)

Regional Level (Government and industry

participation)

Codes of Practice Conservation/Reclamation

Plans Constraints Mapping Construction Best Practices Environmental Protection Plans Forestry Operations/

Management Plans Geophysical Operating

Guidelines Geophysical/Environmental

Field Reports Low Impact Seismic Minimization of Clearing Planning/Engineering Design Setbacks Timing Windows Indicators (for monitoring/

thresholds)

Development Plans Integrated Landscape

Management Trunk Road Coordination or

other access management techniques

Indicators (for monitoring/ thresholds)

Conservation Area Design Future Scenario Forecasting Indicators (for monitoring/

thresholds) Local Area Plans Pre-tenure Plans Protected Areas Strategy Regional Access Management Regional Ecological Monitoring Regional Spatial Databases Regional Plans and Zoning Regional Thresholds Resource Management Plans SRMS Steering Committee

(discussed later in this report)

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Impact Management Measures

Fully supported and coordinated, with industry participation

Jointly coordinated with industry

Jointly coordinatedamongst operators

Individualoperator

Ind

ust

ry L

ead

Go

vern

men

t L

ead

Convention/Current Best Practice

Innovative/Evolving

Increasing government

role, increased

effectiveness in managing

regional effects

Fully supported and coordinated, with industry participation

Jointly coordinated with industry

Jointly coordinatedamongst operators

Individualoperator

Ind

ust

ry L

ead

Go

vern

men

t L

ead

Convention/Current Best Practice

Innovative/Evolving

Increasing government

role, increased

effectiveness in managing

regional effects

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Learning by Doing: Research and Monitoring

• What is the role of research?

– Provide direct input into Regional Assessment

– Advance science of landscape ecology, ecological responses, scenario forecasting, thresholds development

• What is the role of monitoring?

– Tracking project through regional assessments, limits of acceptable change, etc.

– Testing of validity of indictors/thresholds

– Testing of screening and threshold implementation

– Tracking progress in achieving objectives of the framework

– Critical for adaptive management

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Putting it All Together:Sustainable Resource Management Strategy

• What is the Sustainable Resource Management Strategy?

– ‘Dual-track’ approach to guide management actions at both project and regional levels

– ‘Umbrella’ under which management decisions can be coordinated and priorities set

– Incorporates all components discussed previously

• Why use the term SRMS?

– Emphasizes ‘sustainability’ and ‘management’

– Consistent with BC Government directions and terminology

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Proposed Sustainable Resource Management Strategy

Identify objectives of

managing cumulative effects in

northeast BC Study Area

Regional Assessment

Select specificarea of management

concern

Understand current state and trends of land use and

environmental features

Land Use, Issues, Hotspots, Trends

Land and resource use planning and

research

Thresholds (from Case

Studies)

Proponent prepares project

application

Thresholds

Landscape ecologyEcological response

Future scenario forecastingMonitoring

major CEAMF components

sub-components

management and decision points

Thresholds(if available)

Regulatory review of

application

ScreenerEffects Management

Measures (project and joint project)

Improved understanding of land

and resource uses and their effects

RRMS Steering Committee

Application decision

result of decision making

Start

Effects Management

Measures (regional)

Regional Monitoring and

Database

Decision making for

specific projects or

regional planning

Refined and updated regional information

and process

Spe

cific

Pro

ject

sR

egio

nal P

lann

ing

A

B

C

DRRMS Steering

Committee

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Putting it All TogetherSustainable Resource Management Strategy

• Ultimately, how will this SRMS be used?

– Baseline for future assessments

– Means to flag regional hotspots

– Project screening tool

– Guide to available impact assessment and management tools

– Practical application for incorporating results from research

– Means to identify important data and knowledge gaps and set priorities for research, monitoring and follow-up

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Bringing it Home:Implementation and Implications

• How will the SRMS be implemented?

– Focused discussion with stakeholders to solicit comments and advice for implementation

– Define appropriate first and subsequent initiatives and priorities

– Develop detailed processes, training and guidance for SRMS delivery (e.g., administration, guidelines, policy, programs, etc.)

• Who will play a role in implementation?

– Multiple government ministries, OGC, First Nations, industry, NGOs, and other stakeholders

– Proposed SRMS Steering Committee as coordinating body

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Bringing it Home:Implementation and Implications

• Who will be affected?

– Government ministries and industry must work more closely together and act as leaders in CIM

– Industry will have role to play in tracking contributions to thresholds

– Application reviewers may require some additional time to screen applications for cumulative impacts

– First Nations will need to define where and how they fit in to the SRMS (e.g., Steering Committee, application reviews, traditional knowledge, etc.)

– NGOs and other stakeholders will need to act as ‘watchdogs’ to make sure objectives are being met

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Research into Action:Summary of Recommendations

• Implement Northeast BC Sustainable Resource Management Strategy (SRMS) and dual track approach

• Form a central SRMS Steering Committee

• Refine and implement thresholds

• Adopt a ‘Screener’ for addressing cumulative impacts at the project review stage

• Maintain a regional database

• Implement various levels of impact management measures – locally and regionally

• Encourage applied research, especially that which will advance the development and implementation of thresholds

• Implement monitoring in an adaptive management fashion