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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.
Decision 2011-05
https://had.aer.ca/link/decision4445
- Applicant
- Total E&P Limited
- Application Number
- 1445535
- Title
- Decision 2011-005 : Total E&P Joslyn Ltd. application for an oil sands mine and bitumen processing facility Joslyn North mine project Fort McMurray area
- Date
- 2011
- Title
- Decision 2011-005 : Total E&P Joslyn Ltd. application for an oil sands mine and bitumen processing facility Joslyn North mine project Fort McMurray area
- Date
- 2011
- Applicant
- Total E&P Limited
- Application Number
- 1445535
- Hearing Panel
- Dilay JD
- Ross B
- McFadyen D
- Hearing Type
- Board
- Category
- Oil sands
- Descriptors
- Oil sands oil recovery
- Bitumen
- Oil sands
- Directive 074
- Environmental impact assessment
- Conservation
- Environmental impact
- Wildlife
- Vegetation
- Wetland
- Water
- Fish
- History
- Paleontology
- Land use
- Socio-economic effect
- Economic development
- Noise (sound)
- Reclamation
- Liability (law)
- Tailings - storage
- Settling pond
- Residential building
- Public consultation
- Cumulative impact assessment
- Legal References
- 2011 ABERCB 005
- Oil Sands Conservation Act S3
- Oil Sands Conservation Act S24
- Oil Sands Conservation Act S26
- Oil Sands Conservation Regulation
- Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act
- Water Act
- Energy Resources Conservation Act
- Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
- Notes
- Report of the joint review panel established by the Federal Minister of the Environment and the Energy Resources Conservation Board
- Change to legal citation effective January 2011
- Interveners
- BP Canada Energy Company
- Shell Canada Limited
- Syncrude Canada Limited
- Belanger F member of the Dene Sioux First Nation
- Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB)
- Oil Sands Environmental Coalition (OSEC)
- Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN)
- Fort McKay First Nation and Metis Nation Local #63 (Fort McKay)
- Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN)
- Non-Status Fort McMurray Band Descendents, and Off-Reserve Fort McMurray Band Descendants
- Sierra Club Prairie
- Guertin M
- Clearwater River Band No. 175
- Government of Canada
- Government of Alberta
- Joint Review Panel (Panel) staff
- Approval
- Approved with conditions
- Conditions
- Condition 1 – TOTAL will submit a detailed tailings management plan two years before commencement of operations, and TOTAL will clearly demonstrate its ability to meet all requirements of Directive 074. (Section 5.1.3) Condition 2 – TOTAL will devise methods for measuring fines at the project in accordance with Energy Resources Conservation Board requirements. (Section 5.1.3) Condition 3 – TOTAL will notify the Energy Resources Conservation Board in writing of any proposed pilot plants and/or demonstration plants for all technology development at least six months before construction of those facilities begins. (Section 5.1.3) Condition 4 – TOTAL will provide written updates of any previously submitted test reports by no later than February 28 each year, or as otherwise specified by the Energy Resources Conservation Board. (Section 5.1.3) Condition 5 – TOTAL will not exceed three million cubic metres of fluid in the sand beach area sumps. (Section 5.1.3) Condition 6 – One year prior to plant start-up, TOTAL will privide measurement plans to the Energy Resources Conservation Board for review and approval, including process and instrumentation diagrams, metering, sampling methods, analytical methods and, material balance procedures that satisfy Energy Resources Conservation Board measurement requirements. (Section 5.2.2) Condition 7 – TOTAL will not discharge any untreated froth treatment tailings to the tailings disposal area. (Section 5.3.2) Condition 8 – On an annual average basis, TOTAL will limit site-wide solvent losses to not more than four volumes per thousand volumes of bitumen production under any operating conditions. (Section 5.3.2) Condition 9 – On an annual average basis, TOTAL will limit the amount of asphaltene rejection to 10 mass per cent based on bitumen production. (Section 5.4.2) Condition 10 – TOTAL will submit detailed geotechnical designs for all external overburden disposal areas and reclamation stockpiles to the Energy Resources Conservation Board at least six months prior to conducting any field preparation in these areas. (Section 5.5.3) Condition 11 – TOTAL will submit to the Energy Resources Conservation Board, for its review and approval, detailed geotechnical designs and setback distances for critical infrastructure two years prior to site preparation activities for the ore preparation plant pit, the west and southern final pitwall, and for the final pitwall design and assessed setback from the Ells River. (Section 5.5.3) Condition 12 – TOTAL will provide Alberta Environment with a wildlife mitigation plan for approval prior to clearing any vegetation. The plan must achieve no net significant adverse effect on species at risk and deal with mitigating impacts to not only species at risk, but also valued wildlife. (Section 6.1.3) Condition 13 – TOTAL will monitor noise levels at James Grandejambe’s cabin. Should noise levels exceed those outlined in Directive 038, TOTAL will ensure that mitigation measures are implemented and that Directive 038 compliance is met. (Section 9.6.3) Condition 14 – TOTAL will maintain unimpeded access required for stakeholders to areas west of the project until the Moose Lake access management plan, or an equivalent, is implemented. (Section 9.7.3) Condition 15 – TOTAL will actively support and participate in the Cumulative Environmental Management Association and other regional committees to develop and use its strategies to mitigate both development and regional cumulative environmental effects. (Section 10.1.3) Condition 16 – TOTAL will limit the area of disturbance to 5000 hectares or less. (Section 10.1.3) Condition 17 – TOTAL will remove all benching on mine discard structures prior to reclaiming them. (Section 10.1.3) Condition 18 – TOTAL will provide sustainable watershed designs with vegetated watercourses for geotechnical design applications for mine discard structures. Landform watershed designs should be consistent with regionally recognized guidelines for the purpose of erosion management. (Section 10.1.3) Condition 19 – TOTAL will provide an amended mine plan to demonstrate an integrated landform and landscape design for the Canadian Natural Resources Limited – TOTAL common mine boundary to the Energy Resources Conservation Board for approval five years prior to development. The amended plan must include a discussion of the feasibility of filling the trench area between the Joslyn North and Horizon projects with mine discard. The plan must also include a discussion of the alternatives considered by TOTAL. (Section 10.2.3) Condition 20 – TOTAL will submit an annual report to the Energy Resources Conservation Board, starting two years prior to commencing mining operations, that describes its end pit lake research and development efforts for the previous year, and the current plans and timelines for determining the efficacy of its end pit lake within seven years of mine closure. This report will include all of TOTAL’s efforts and contributions with respect to collaboration on the demonstration of a full scale end pit lake. (Section 12.3)
Decision 80-E
https://had.aer.ca/link/decision2324
- Applicant
- Union Oil Company of Canada Limited
- Rescon Coal Holdings Ltd.
- Application Number
- 790729
- Title
- Decision on application by Union Oil Company of Canada Limited and Rescon Coal Holdings Ltd. Obed Marsh coal project Hinton
- Date
- 1980
- Title
- Decision on application by Union Oil Company of Canada Limited and Rescon Coal Holdings Ltd. Obed Marsh coal project Hinton
- Date
- 1980
- Application Number
- 790729
- Hearing Type
- Board
- Category
- Coal
- Descriptors
- Coal mine
- Coal preparation plant
- Coal project
- Hinton area
- Obed Marsh coal project
- Obed Mountain coal field
- Surface mining
- Benefit cost analysis
- Bituminous coal
- Coal reserve
- Drainage
- Environmental impact
- Land reclamation
- Mine design
- NTS 83F
- Open pit mining
- Overburden ratio
- Reclamation
- Settling pond
- Socio-economic effect
- Strip mining
- Tailings
- Thermal coal
- Waste disposal
- Water quality
- Legal References
- Coal Conservation Act S10
- Coal Conservation Act S23
- Notes
- ERCB report 80-E on application No. 790729 to develop surface coal mine in TP.52-55, R.23-25, W5 and a coal processing plant in TP.52-53, R.23-24, W5; Board hearing 1980-02-25/26/27
Decision 78-12
https://had.aer.ca/link/decision2108
- Applicant
- Calgary Power Ltd.
- Application Number
- 770891
- Title
- Decision on application by Calgary Power Ltd., 1978 (approval to construct and operate an ash lagoon for disposing ash at the Keephills power plant)
- Date
- 1978
- Title
- Decision on application by Calgary Power Ltd., 1978 (approval to construct and operate an ash lagoon for disposing ash at the Keephills power plant)
- Date
- 1978
- Applicant
- Calgary Power Ltd.
- Application Number
- 770891
- Hearing Panel
- Millard V
- Berkowitz N
- Goodman CJ
- Solodzuk W
- Hearing Type
- Board
- Utilities
- Category
- Electric power
- Descriptors
- Ash
- Electric power project
- Keephills power project
- Settling pond
- Waste disposal
- Cost analysis
- Economic analysis
- Environmental impact
- Groundwater
- NTS 83G
- Reclamation
- Legal References
- Energy Resources Conservation Act S40
- Hydro and Electric Energy Act S7
- Notes
- Decision 78-12 on application No. 770891 to develop a recirculating water slurry system and ash lagoon for disposing of ash at the Keephills power plant (TP.51-52, R.3-4, W5M).
- Interveners
- Committee on Keephills Environment