Decision 2014-04
https://had.aer.ca/link/decision4523
- Applicant
- Coalspur Mines (Operations) Limited
- Application Number
- 1726915
- 1726923
- 1726927
- Title
- Decision 2014-004 : Coalspur Mines (Operations) Ltd. applications for coal mine permit amendment, coal processing plant approval amendment, coal mine pit licence, and coal mine dump licences McLeod River Coal field
- Date
- 2014
- Title
- Decision 2014-004 : Coalspur Mines (Operations) Ltd. applications for coal mine permit amendment, coal processing plant approval amendment, coal mine pit licence, and coal mine dump licences McLeod River Coal field
- Date
- 2014
- Applicant
- Coalspur Mines (Operations) Limited
- Application Number
- 1726915
- 1726923
- 1726927
- Hearing Panel
- Bolton AH
- McNeil BM
- Ternes LJ
- Hearing Type
- Board
- Category
- Coal
- Descriptors
- Economic condition
- Economic factor
- Environmental impact
- Land use
- Mining
- Decision 83-A
- Coal preparation
- Hinton area
- McLeod River area
- Coal preparation plant
- Settling pond
- Legal References
- Coal Conservation Act S5
- Coal Conservation Act S8
- Coal Conservation Act S16
- Coal Conservation Act S23
- Coal Conservation Rules
- 2014 ABAER 004
- Notes
- Change to legal citation effective January 2011
- Interveners
- Murray-Hehr J
- Approval
- Approved with conditions
- Conditions
- Coalspur shall construct, operate, and reclaim the approved project in accordance with the specifications, standards, commitments, and other information referred to in Applications No. 1726915, 1726923, and 1726927 and its submissions unless the AER directs otherwise. 2. The approvals will expire in five years from the issuance of this decision unless Coalspur has satisfied the AER that construction has begun. 3. Within the first 5 years of operations, the adequacy of all conditions shall be reviewed by the AER and may be amended at the AER’s sole discretion. 4. The pit and dump licences expire 10 years from the issuance of this decision. New licences may be issued if Coalspur demonstrates to the satisfaction of the AER that mining and reclamation practices throughout the licence period have been acceptable. Coal Processing Plant 5. The coal processing plant and ancillary facilities known as Coal Processing Plant No. 8 will be located in Sections 7, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 19, Township 51, Range 23, West of the 5th Meridian and in Sections 24, 26, 27, and 34, Township 51, Range 24, West of the 5th Meridian. 6. Coalspur must operate the coal processing plant to the satisfaction of the AER and in a manner that results in the maximum practical recovery of marketable coal from all raw coal mined and processed. 7. Coalspur must submit in the first quarter of each calendar year for the preceding year, to the satisfaction of the AER, an annual report on coal processing plant operations which includes a site wide mass balance, a description of operations and any modifications, and any other information the AER requests. 8. Six months prior to operation of the coal processing plant, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a measurement plan, describing the accuracy of measurement devices and the methodology used to determine coal production, disposition, reject, and storage. Mine Plan and End-pit lake 9. Within six months of issuance of this decision, Coalspur must submit an analysis evaluating the economic and technical feasibility of increasing in-pit waste disposal, through modifying the sequencing or phasing of the pit, for the purpose of reducing the size and depth of the end-pit lake and size of the external dumps. Following the AER’s review of the submitted analysis, the AER may require Coalspur to submit further information, and/or a revised mine plan for approval by the AER. 10. Fifteen years from the commencement of mining operations, the operator must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a final design and operations management plan for the end-pit lake. 11. Fifteen years from the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, an end-pit lake adaptive management strategy. The strategy must include: desired management outcomes related to water quality, water quantity, and aquatic species; details of the integrated monitoring program; indicators, criteria and thresholds for monitoring environmental change and performance; and a description of mitigation options in the event that desired management outcomes are not being achieved. Coalspur must implement the strategy and provide annual progress reports to the AER. Geotechnical Investigations and Performance 12. Three months prior to the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur shall submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a detailed geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring plan for the pit highwall, in-pit dump, and external waste rock dumps. 13. Six months prior to construction of the north rock dump Coalspur must submit the results of its additional geotechnical investigation program and any modifications to the design. 14. Six months prior to construction of the fines settling pond Coalspur must submit the results of its additional geotechnical investigation program and any modifications to the fines settling pond design. 15. Coalspur must submit in the first quarter of each calendar year for the preceding year, to the satisfaction of the AER, an annual report on the geotechnical performance of the highwall, in-pit dump, external waste rock dumps, fines settling pond dam, and fresh water pond dams. Fines Management 16. One year prior to construction of the coal processing plant, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a fines management plan that addresses the footprint, management, and reclamation of the fines settling pond, including validation of fines characterization. 17. Coalspur must limit the construction of the fines settling pond to an elevation of 1238 m above sea level until Coalspur has satisfied the AER that the fines settling pond design is consistent with actual fines behavior. 18. Coalspur must submit in the first quarter of each calendar year for the preceding year, to the satisfaction of the AER, an annual performance report on its fines management that includes testing results and any other information the AER requests. Water 19. Six months prior to the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a water management plan that includes details on proposed surface water and groundwater management, monitoring activities, and instream flow needs protocols for flow augmentation. 20. Prior to the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, baseline sediment surveys of stream embeddedness and concretion deposition for McPherson Creek, McPherson Creek Tributary 2, and Mcleod River Tributary 1. 21. Six months prior to the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, an adaptive management strategy specific to surface waters within the project area. The strategy is to include: desired management outcomes related to water quality, water quantity and sensitive fish species; details of the proposed monitoring program(s); indicators, criteria and thresholds for monitoring environmental change and performance and a description of mitigation options in the event that desired management outcomes are not being achieved. Monitoring and reporting activities must include monitoring for selenium in surface waters and aquatic biota, and stream embeddedness and concretion deposition for McPherson Creek, McPherson Creek Tributary 2, and McLeod River Tributary 1 within the mine permit area. Coalspur must implement the strategy and provide annual progress reports to the AER. 22. Six months prior to the commencement of mining operations, the operator must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a further evaluation of flocculants, coagulants and other products for their effectiveness and safety for the environment. The evaluation must include consideration of alternative products with lower toxicity to aquatic organisms for use in removing suspended sediments. 23. Within one year of the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, follow up toxicity testing results for the flocculant or coagulant products in representative effluent waters. Wildlife 24. Three months prior to the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a wildlife monitoring plan and adaptive management strategy that includes: desired management outcomes related to wildlife use and movement for the area along McPherson Creek and McLeod River Tributary 1 during mining and in the closure landscape; details of the proposed monitoring program(s); indicators, criteria and thresholds for monitoring environmental change and performance and a description of the mitigation options in the event that desired management outcomes are not being achieved. Coalspur must implement the plan and provide annual progress reports to the AER. Wetlands 25. Six months prior to the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a monitoring plan that includes methodology to detect hydrologic and vegetation changes in the three sensitive wetlands adjacent to the project footprint, consisting of a patterned fen located in SW12-51-23W5M, a saline fen located in SW5-51-23W5M, and a marsh located in NW15-51-23W5M. Coalspur must implement the plan and provide annual progress reports to the AER. Noise/Land Use 26. Five years after the commencement of mining operations, Coalspur must submit, to the satisfaction of the AER, a report that summarizes the results of field noise level measurements and includes any additional mitigation measures required for compliance with Directive 038: Noise Control.