Environmental Impact

A presentation delivered by Jason Bernier, CBCL Limited on March 6, 2017 at the Sea Water Air Conditioning in the Caribbean Workshop at the Caribbean Development Bank.

1. Environmental Impact
2017
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Jason Bernier, Principal, Manager
Environmental Science & Engineering

2. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Overview
Environmental Permitting and Regulatory
Considerations
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Environmental Data Gathering
Requirements to facilitate Project Design,
EIA and Permitting
Environmental Monitoring during
construction and operation
Construction Risk Considerations from an
Environmental Perspective
2

3. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Permitting & Regulatory Approvals
Jurisdiction Specific
Regulatory requirements are
predominantly defined based on
Project activities and the spatial and
temporal environment within which
they interact.
Objective is fundamentally to protect
the environment from significant
adverse effects.
3

4. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Environmental Impact Assessment
EIA is often required by
regulators as a means of
evaluating the project to
determine the potential for
significant adverse
environmental effects.
4

5. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
EIA is a process through which the
environmental impacts potentially resulting from
a proposed project are identified and assessed
early in the planning process.
EIA identifies steps that can be taken to avoid
negative environmental impacts or reduce them
to acceptable levels before they occur. EIA
therefore, represents a proactive, preventative
approach to environmental management and
protection.
5
Environmental Impact Assessment

6. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Initiation of EIA planning early
in project lifecycle
Define spatial and temporal
boundaries
Requires development of a
thorough Project Description
•Commencing during concept
development & finalized during
preliminary design
6
Environmental Impact Assessment

7. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Defining the Project
Project Description
•Defines the project
•Typically finalized when a
preliminary design is established
Used to determine data gathering
and field study requirements
Establishes a basis for Impact
Assessment
7

8. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
EIA
Data gathering to define
geophysical and biophysical
environment.
Often an iterative process,
commencing at a desktop and
database level, and progressing
to detailed field studies.
8

9. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Concept Development
Concept Development
Commences at Regional Level
Focuses in on Site Selection
Proposed Corridor Alignments
9

10. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
10

11. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
SWAC
11

12. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
12

13. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Initial Planning
13
Regional level planning is the first planning phase
and identifying where regional level constraints
will occur.
Environmental biologists conduct a desktop
analysis using preexisting biological data.
During this phase, maps highlighting biological
constraints are developed. Maps assist to
minimize or avoid adverse environmental effects.
Examples of biological constraints to avoid could
include critical habitat, species at risk, and
migration routes.

14. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
14
Google Earth

15. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
15

16. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Bathymatry
16
Bathymetry surveys measure the depth of
water in oceans and other bodies of water. A
bathymetric chart is the submerged equivalent
of an above-water topographic map
Various methods can be used
•Single-Beam Soar
•Multi-Bean Sonar
•SidescanSonar
•LiDAR

17. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Bathymetry
17
Multi-Beam echo sounder

18. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Geology
18
Various methods can be used collect physical
geological samples:
•Vibrocoring
•Grab Sampling,
•Drilling-Standard Penetration Tests (SPT), piston and
Shelby tube
•Gravity Coring,
•Cone Penetrometer Testing (CPT)
•Seismic testing
Sub-surface investigations will be required to
understand the following conditions:
•Geological
•Geo-technical
•Geophysical

19. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Geology
19
VibrocoringGrab Sampling

20. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
20
Concept Design

21. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Environmental Baseline
Initiate project specific field
studies
Establish Existing
Environmental Conditions
21

22. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Field Surveys
Marine Resources
•Various studies
•Tides and Currents
•Water Quality and Temperature
•Marine Biota –Benthic and Pelagic
22
Terrestrial Resources
•Terrestrial Biota
•Describe topography, geology,
climate and air quality

23. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Studies
Shipping and Navigation
Fishing Operations
Military, Research & Recreation
Social & Economic Resources
Natural Hazards
•Hurricanes, Seismic, Flooding
Cumulative Effects
23

24. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
24
Coastal engineers would study the local wave climate
through a desktop analysis by running wave models.
Water Modelling

25. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Water Temperature
25
Important to ensure that water
temperature is consistent at the
intake location.
Water temperature should also
be recorded at discharge area.
Water temperature surveys
should occur for at least 1 year.
One survey example is to use a
fixed position temperature
sensor at specified depths.

26. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Water Quality
Preconstruction water quality samples should be
recorded. Parameters of interest can include:
•Salinity
•Density
•pH
•Dissolved Gases
•Nutrients
•Temperature
26

27. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Benthic Habitat Surveys
27
Marine Benthic Habitat Survey and
Shallow Water Surveys
Surveys are conducted by a
drop camera, scuba diver, or
ROV.
Underwater video spot checks
Underwater video transects
Analysis is conducted to
classify:
Depth
Substrate composition
Habitat type
Macrofaunaand macroflora

28. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Benthic Habitat Surveys
28
Using video footage and
photographs, biologists are
able to identify:
Substrate composition
Habitat type
Species (plants and
animals)
Using data collected, habitat assessments can be
conducted to determine the function of each habitat.

29. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
29

30. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Benthic and Pelagic
30
The waters surrounding a Project area potentially provides
habitat for numerous aquatic and marine species, including
birds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals that are protected
by a variety of environmental regulations.
Need to describe the marine mammal species with possible or
known occurrence around the Project area.

31. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Pelagic
Biologists are able to determine which species may
occur within the Project area through:
•Conducting a desktop analysis of existing data (i.e.,
visual observations or acoustic detections)
•Identifying which species may occur based on the
habitat identified within the Project area.
31

32. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
32

33. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Terrestrial
33
Terrestrial sites need to be selected for:
•permanent district cooling plant
•temporary staging areas for project equipment (pipes)

34. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Terrestrial
34
In consultation with local regulators, biologists develop
survey protocols to collect baseline data andthe presence
of unique, rare, or protected terrestrial biological resources.
Surveys for sensitive habitats such as wetlands, are
conducted. Wetland surveys consist of wetland
identification, delineation, and functional assessment.

35. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
35
Terrestrial
The presence of unique, rare or protected terrestrial
biological resources in the Project area will be identified
and investigated.
Critical habitat
Important nesting areas (i.e., sea turtles, birds)
Species at risk specific surveys (mammals, reptiles, birds,
vegetation)
Breeding bird surveys
Vegetation surveys

36. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
36

37. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Impact Assessment & Mitigation
37
After surveys are complete, we are now aware of
species and any sensitive habitat that occur within the
Project area.
Need to identify sensitive time periods (i.e., nesting,
breeding, peak periods) for species that occur within
the Project area. These periods not only dictate when
surveys need to be conducted but they guide the
planning for construction (times and periods to avoid).
Need to identify and evaluate potential Project effects
and to develop strategies to manage these effects
(mitigation).

38. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Impact Assessment
Typically when Preliminary Design has been
established
Design Alternates for specific elements are
developed
Assess how the project will interact with
existing environment
•Before, During, After construction
Identify Potential Adverse Impacts
•Direct & Indirect
38

39. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
39
Impact Assessment

40. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Impact Analysis
Impact considerations include:
Habitat Alteration, Disturbance,
Destruction
Critical Habitat
•Coral, Seagrass
Harassment and harm to
endangered and threatened
species
40

41. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Impact Analysis
Human Uses
•Traffic
•Fishing, Navigation
Social & Economic
Cultural and Archaeological
Visual Resources
Etc.
41

42. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Sea Water for Cooling
42

43. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Impact Assessment
Sea Water Circulation
•Cold deep water (4-6
o
C)
•High in nutrients
•Unique organisms
•Low Dissolved oxygen
•Discharge at (11-14
o
C)
•Into differing environmental
conditions
43

44. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
44
Water Modelling
To determine the placement and influence of the
outflow, effluent dispersion modelling is
conducted at ‘near field’ and at ‘far field’.
Near field: identifies the need for a diffuser.
Far field: identifies the large scale impact of the
plume (footprint).
The following slide illustrates effluent dispersion
modelling in 3D that was conducted in New
Brunswick, Canada.

45. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
45

46. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Mitigation
Development of Mitigation
Measures to prevent adverse
environmental impacts
Design Modifications
Monitoring Protocols
Avoidance
Compensation
46

47. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Mitigation and Monitoring example
SWAC project offshore Honolulu, HI.
During baseline assessments, biologists identified humpback
whales could occur within the vicinity of the Project area.
Marine Mammal Protection Act 1972 protects marine
mammals and permits for construction are required.
Pile driving activities could result in incidental harassment of
marine mammals.
To minimize impact on humpback whales, mitigation and
monitoring measures were developed.
47

48. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Mitigation example
Temporal restrictions –pile driving would not be conducted
between Dec 1 and March 31 as it is peak humpback whale
season in Hawaii and a humpback whale may occur within the
proposed Project area during that time.
Established an exclusion zone –developed a buffer zone
around the Project area. If a marine mammal enters this buffer
zone, operations must stop.
Pile driving shut down and delay procedures –have a
biologist observing for marine mammals approaching or entering
the exclusion zone. If a whale was observed approaching the
exclusion zone the biologist would inform the on-site manager
who would then delay pile driving until the marine mammal has
moved and a period of time has lapsed since the last sighting.
48

49. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
49
Monitoring example
At least one biologically-trained individual equipped with
specialized gear to effectively monitor marine mammals (high-
quality binoculars, range-finder) will be stationed on the pile
driving rig. The biologist will be responsible for monitoring the
buffer zones. Monitoring would occur 40mins prior to operations
and continue during work. Biologist would record all marine
mammal sightings and behavior.
In-situ underwater sound monitoring is required during pile
driving to facilitate compliance. Exposure to elevated sound levels
from vibratory and impact pile driving may result in temporary
impacts to marine mammal hearing and behavior and mask
naturally occurring sounds.

50. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Avoidance
Micro tunneling or directional drilling
to avoid sensitive near shore habitat
and constraints.
50

51. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Post -construction
51
Post construction monitoring required will be
determined through the regulatory process.
For example, post construction monitoring
may be deemed necessary by regulators at
the outflow location. Monitoring would
include water temperature and quality
measurements.

52. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Project Risk Considerations
Lack of integration between design
and environmental teams
Lack of early regulatory consultation
Public Perception
•Necessitates stakeholder engagement
and consultation
Presence of species at risk or critical
habitat
Habitat Compensation can be
significant
52

53. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Project Risk Considerations
Natural Hazards, e.g. Hurricanes, Flooding
Climate Change
Seismic, e.g. Underwater landslides
Staging and storage of significant lengths
of pipeline during construction
Transport and controlled sinking of
pipeline
Pipeline damage from marine vessel
operations, e.g. fishing, anchoring
53

54. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
Project Risk Considerations
Disposal of excavated soils &
dredge spoils
•Contaminants
•Salt contamination in sediments
destined for upland disposal
Encountering archaeological
resources
Cumulative effects from
existing activities in the area
54

55. Comprehensive Engineering and Environmental Consulting Services
Experience
Vision
Commitment
55
Questions