Pierre River Mine Project

WATER AENV SIRS 15 – 43
Question No. 40
Request Volume 2, SIR 474b, Page 23-166.
Section 12.1
Shell states that before reclamation, existing, currently-approved and disclosed
mines will affect 48% of wetlands in the Muskeg River watershed.
40a Explain how there is a low environmental consequence of development on
regional basis given this information.
Response 40a The low environmental consequence is based on the application of the
assessment methodology outlined in the EIA (see EIA, Volume 5, Section 1.3).
The environmental consequence of the loss of wetlands regionally is determined
based on the magnitude of the loss of wetlands in the regional study area (RSA).
The Muskeg River watershed represents a small proportion of the RSA used for
this assessment. In addition, environmental consequence ratings are determined
based on the incremental change resulting from the project (see EIA, Volume 5,
Section 7.5.2, page 7-94) and planned developments (see EIA, Volume 5, Section
7.6.2, page 7-142) from existing conditions, including existing oil sands
developments. The response to the May 2009 Pierre River Mine, Supplemental
Information, Volume 2, SIR 474b reflects baseline conditions before oil sands
developments and it has no bearing on environmental consequence ratings for the
project. A low environmental consequence is predicted for the RSA in the
Planned Development Case based on the loss of wetlands in the RSA relative to
the Base Case.
Request 40b Provide evidence that Shell will contribute to reclaiming the high local and
regional loss of wetlands.
Response 40b Refer to the responses to AENV SIRs 27, 34, 37 and 38b regarding Shell’s
commitments to reclaiming wetlands on the closure landscape.
Request 40c Provide detailed maps of closure plans with wetland ecosites and describe target
wetland plant and animal species.
Response 40c Refer to the response to AENV SIR 27 and Figure AENV 27-1 for a map of the
target ecosites with wetlands. Also, refer to the response to AENV SIR 38b and
Figure AENV 38-1 for a map with wet landscapes with potential to develop into
peatlands in the far future. Revegetation plans and planting prescriptions for
these ecosites are presented in the EIA, Volume 5, Appendix 5-2, Section 2.5.
Animal species that will colonize in wetlands are described in the response to
AENV SIR 27b.
The conceptual closure plans outlined above are at the appropriate level of detail
for the EIA and project application. More detailed reclamation plans will be
12-60 Shell Canada Limited April 2010
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