Revised Final Environmental Study Report (24 MB) - Gold Canyon ...

Gold Canyon Resources Inc.
Springpole Gold Access Corridor Project
Final Environmental Study Report
Table 6-1: Supplemental Mitigation Measures for Potentially Significant Negative Residual Effects
Potentially Significant Negative Residual
Effect (1) Mitigation Measure Implementation Strategy
Species at Risk or Their Habitat
Recovery of a species under special
management
Access to trails or inaccessible areas (and
water)
Fish or other aquatic species,
communities or their habitat (including
movement of resident or migratory
species)
Views or aesthetics (Birch River bridge)
Community character, enjoyment of property
or local amenities
Adjacent or nearby uses, persons or property
Decommission historic exploration trails at the Property, as generally shown in Figure 2-1.
Support the implementation of specific silvicultural practices in approved areas to improve and create caribou habitat
elsewhere in the range or proximal ranges.
Pending guidance from MNR, install educational signage elsewhere within in the range (where there is public access)
that is intended to help hunters distinguish between caribou and other ungulates.
Fund and/or participate in monitoring initiatives intended to improve the understanding and management of caribou in
the province. This focused caribou monitoring is proposed to be carried out in collaboration with MNR and/or any other
interested parties.
Prohibit public access beyond the FMP Approved Road, focus usage during winter months, enforce 50 km/hr speed
limit.
No increased public access to the region is proposed as part of this Project. Pending agreement of MNR and issuance
of a Land User Permit, GCU proposes to install a modern, monitored gate at the end of the current FMP road when
GCU’s road is constructed. When Domtar builds the Wenasaga Road extension that is approved in the 2014-2019
timeline, GCU proposes to move the gate to the end of the FMP-approved road, which is ~1km south of the Birch River
crossing (refer to Figure 2-1). In collaboration with MNR and pursuant to the Public Lands Act, GCU proposes to also
post the names of the additional lakes that may not be accessed on the existing sign at the Tarpley / Wenasaga Road
junction.
Although this is less ideal from an engineering and cost perspective, the proposed bridge alignment and approaches
have been relocated further downstream to minimize impacts to the viewscape from the upstream direction. Refer to
Section 6.3 for a further description of this mitigation measure.
Perform construction during the autumn-winter-spring window, when remote tourism operators and local landowners
are not present. Utilize the road during this same window to the extent practical in an effort to avoid generating noise
while these stakeholders are present in the region.
GCU has engaged an independent professional recommended by the office of the Mining and Lands Commissioner to
serve as an independent arbitrator to facilitate the government's dispute resolution process. The recommended
process for assessing compensation is provided in Appendix 6. GCU’s views are further described in Section 6.2.
Maintain an open-door policy to receive concerns so that these can be addressed in a timely manner.
Noise levels Maintain an open-door policy to receive concerns so that these can be addressed in a timely manner.
Tourism Values (loss of remoteness and
marketability of remote tourism businesses)
Ecological integrity
Terrestrial wildlife (including numbers,
diversity and movement of resident or
migratory species)
Natural vegetation and terrestrial habitat
linkages or corridors through fragmentation,
alteration and/or critical loss.
Water quality or quantity
Sedimentation or erosion
Fish or other aquatic species,
communities or their habitat…
Includes all negative effects from Table 2-2.
(1)
GCU has engaged an independent professional recommended by the office of the Mining and Lands Commissioner to
serve as an arbitrator to facilitate the government's dispute resolution process. The recommended process for
assessing compensation is provided in Appendix 6. GCU’s views are further described in Section 6.2.
The access corridor has been designed to minimize cumulative impacts with other activities to the ecological integrity of
the region.
The access corridor has been designed to minimize habitat fragmentation, to avoid biological values to the extent
practical and respect AOCs that are approved in the FMP.
Refer to Section 6.4 for additional discussion.
Adhere to Environmental Guidelines for Access Roads and Water Crossings (MNR, 1995), Crown Land Bridge
Management Guidelines (MNR, 2008), MNR Guidelines for Culverts Installed in the Winter (MNR, 1996) and Department of
Fisheries and Oceans Operational Statement for Clear Span Bridges.
Integrate these mitigation measures into the Project execution plan
(Section 5). Continue to engage other parties regarding collaborations
related to monitoring and other measures to achieve a net overall
benefit. DST (2012) provides further analysis and discussion.
Potential overall benefit measures related to caribou are further
described in Appendix 10. The overall benefit measures would be
formalized in an Overall Benefit permit that is issued for the
Project following the conclusion of the EA (Section 3.4).
Integrate this into the final ESR and Project execution plan (Section 5).
While GCU would have no enforcement authority, GCU is willing to
collaborate with MNR regarding the monitoring of the corridor and
reporting of any illegal use to MNR. It is envisioned that GCU’s
obligations related to monitoring and reporting would be formalized in an
issued approval that is in accordance with MNR policy.
The bridge re-alignment is reflected in Appendix 7.
Integrate this approach directly into the Project execution plan
(Section 5). Further engagement regarding specific timing windows is
planned and shall be identified in the final ESR.
GCU is willing to fund this process and adhere to the
recommendation for the life of the Springpole Gold definition project
while the road is in place and being used actively by GCU.
GCU’s Manager of Community Relations and Lands is contact person
(refer to Section 1).
GCU’s Manager of Community Relations and Lands is contact person
(refer to Section 1).
GCU is willing to fund this process and adhere to the
recommendation for the life of the Springpole Gold Project while the
road is being used actively by GCU.
Integrate into Project execution plan (Section 5).
Integrated into Project execution plan in Section 5 and monitoring in
Section 8.
July 2013 Page 55