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Terrestrial Wildlife and
Migratory Birds
Panel Members
Oliver Curran Michael Anderson Joe Tigullaraq Mike Setterington John Binns
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This panel will address:
Vegetation (FEIS Volume 6, Section 3.0)
Migratory Birds and Habitat (FEIS Volume 6, Section 4.0)
Terrestrial Wildlife and Habitat (FEIS Volume 6, Section 5.0)
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Key NIRB Issues
This panel will also address NIRB issues: (b) Design considerations for construction and operation of a
railway under arctic conditions, including management plans for mitigation of potential impacts to caribou and terrestrial wildlife
(h) ... potential impact of shipping ... wake effects on birds
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Vegetation (FEIS Volume 6, Section 3.0)
Key Issues Considered Project footprint Plant health Invasive species Reclamation
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Mitigation — Vegetation Terrestrial Environment Management and Mitigation Plan (TEMMP) Section 3.1.1: Minimize footprint (0.36% of the RSA) Invasive species best management practices Re-vegetation research plots to determine best
reclamation approaches for north Baffin Island
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Migratory Birds and Habitat (FEIS Volume 6, Section 4.0)
Key indicators: Peregrine Falcon Snow Goose Common and King Eider Red-throated Loon Thick-billed Murre Lapland Longspur Species at Risk
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Key Issues Considered
Habitat loss Mortality Health
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Baseline
Several years of seabird and land bird surveys Collaboration with Environment Canada on
seabird studies in Hudson Strait Collaboration with Arctic Raptors Inc. on falcon studies
for several years
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Mitigation Terrestrial Minimize project footprint General mitigation for bird habitat — TEMMP 3.2.1 Subject to Transport Canada Regulations, flight paths
and altitudes to avoid disturbance Nest Management Plan — TEMMP 3.2.2
Do not destroy nests Minimize disturbance to birds
Environment Canada Guidelines Marine
Shipping route > 2 km from seabird colonies Avoid key marine bird habitats
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Ship Wake Effects Concern: Ship wakes will impact on nesting shore birds Analyses conducted in FEIS Volume 8, App. 8D-2
Concluded most wakes reaching shoreline are minimal (much less than natural variation)
Environment Canada is satisfied with additional analyses (EC Final Submission EC-4.6, pg. 26)
Conclusion is no significant effect from ship wakes Conducted shoreline nest searches in 2012 on potentially
impacted and control shorelines to provide a basis for follow-up monitoring
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FEIS Conclusion Minor changes in distribution may occur as birds move to less
disturbed habitat nearby, the overall effect on these birds is expected to be minimal.
Considering design and mitigation measures that minimize impacts on migratory birds, the assessment concludes that the Project will have a not significant effect on bird population dynamics and habitat (FEIS Volume 6, Section 4.13)
Assessment recommended follow up discussed at the end of this presentation
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Terrestrial Wildlife and Habitat (FEIS Volume 6, Section 5.0)
Key Indicator Caribou Wolves were a subject of note
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Caribou Issue scoping through community meetings, working groups, workshops and NIRB guidelines
Key Issues considered: Habitat Movement Mortality Health
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Baseline
Traditional Knowledge Historic harvest records Historic document review Surveys — aerial, ground (scat, antlers, bones) Government of Nunavut caribou collaring program
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Population and Habitat
North Baffin Island caribou herd Approximate 70 year population cycle Currently low in numbers (in the ‘100s) Decline probably due to lack of food Non-migratory, and calving occurs in high, barren areas Traditional knowledge was a key element of the baseline and
impact assessment.
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Mitigation — Habitat (TEMMP 3.3.1)
Minimizing the Project footprint Limit sensory disturbances Dust suppression Reclamation Special care taken during the calving period between 15 May –
15 July
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Mitigation — Movement (TEMMP 3.3.2)
Snow bank management to allow animal passage Baffinland surveyed the proposed rail route for caribou paths -
embankments will be created at crossings as per guidelines provided by QIA
Operator awareness, report caribou sightings between trains and trucks
On-site crossing inspection with elders and hunters Crossings could be modified with gentler slopes if caribou
deflections are detected Caribou likely to adapt to consistent train set passes.
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Mitigation — Mortality (TEMMP 3.3.3)
Baffinland supports a no hunting/fishing policy for Baffinland employees Baffinland and QIA are in discussions respecting the application of
hunting/fishing to Inuit employees Wildlife right-of-way policy on Project infrastructure. Operator awareness, report caribou sightings between trains and trucks Adjusting speed limits to allow caribou time to get off the road or rail, and
will increase the chance of a vehicle being able to stop before collision The train is expected to operate 360 days per year, but operational flexibility
could allow for flexibility in train traffic if large groups of migratory caribou return to the area.
Design and implement means of deterring caribou from the pits and other hazardous areas.
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Mitigation ― Health (TEMMP 3.3.4)
Project-related health effects on caribou is expected to be dustfall. Dust suppression and other mitigation measures related to air
quality are detailed in the Air Quality and Noise Abatement Management Plan (Volume 10, Appendix 10D-1). No additional mitigation measures for caribou health were identified.
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FEIS Conclusion After design and mitigation, the Project is expected to cause no significant effects on caribou habitat, movement, mortality and health (FEIS Volume 6, Section 5.4 and Table 6-5.9)
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Effects Monitoring
Terrestrial Environment Management and Monitoring Plan (FEIS Volume 10, Appendix 10D-11) Monitoring Principles Monitor and verify potential effects related to the Project; Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures; Identify unanticipated effects; Monitor effects where predictions were based on weak data; Provide an early warning of undesirable change in the
environment; and Inform adaptive management measures.
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Monitoring Plans Vegetation Invasive species Vegetation health Birds Falcon nesting Eider and Red Knot nesting Seabird migration and overwintering Songbirds and shorebirds
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Monitoring Plans
Caribou General distribution Calving habitat use Movement in the zone of
influence Mortality risk Health Productivity
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Adaptive Strategies (TEMMP Sec. 6.0)
Implemented when unexpected impacts are observed or if impacts are larger than predicted and exceed the predefined thresholds.
If impacts to vegetation, birds, or terrestrial wildlife exceed identified thresholds, then local HTOs, regulators, Baffinland’s specialists, Baffinland’s EHS Superintendent and other stakeholders will meet to discuss mitigation options that will remove or reduce the impact in question.
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Terrestrial Wildlife Working Group
Provide direction on key monitoring indicators, methods, schedule, reporting, and adaptive management approaches
QIA, GN, EC, other stakeholders. Review progress regularly Develop monitoring details as project proceeds Advise and oversee adaptive management of unexpected
impacts
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