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Environmental Impact Assessments

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the process of identifying and predicting the consequences (effects) of a proposed project, and the determination of measures to minimize adverse effects on the environment and human health.

In most jurisdictions, legislation now requires that EIAs be conducted for many types of projects. Project proponents must prepare a submission before government approval may be granted. In addition, the public is increasingly calling for accountability on the part of proponents and government to ensure that the environment and livelihood of local residents are not adversely affected.

This typically involves a preliminary review of possible issues and effects, public consultation, field research into environmental and social conditions, the publication of a comprehensive assessment report, and possibly the preparation of material for a public hearing. Environmental practitioners must ensure that submissions are objective and meet all regulatory requirements.

The assessment report must be informative, clear and concise to enable decision makers to quickly and easily understand the environmental implications of the proposed project.

The EIA Process

Environmental impact assessment is more than just a single step — it is the sum of many parts. The diagram shows the five most common steps to completing a successful assessment and the complete services AXYS provides to respond to each step.

Common Steps of an EIA

1. Screening
   What project activities may be of concern?
   • study area bounding
   • issues scoping
   • pubic consultation
   • workshop facilitation
2. Baseline Conditions
   What environmental conditions surround the project?
   • ecological land classification
   • soil and terrain studies
   • wildlife studies and surveys
   • habitat studies
   • route and site selection
   • computer mapping
3. Prediction of Effects
   What are the effects and how important are they? Can adverse effects be minimized?
   • quantifying impact significance
   • cumulative effects assessments
   • custom-designed analyses
   • computer mapping
   • computer modelling
4. Reporting
   What information was found, analyses made and conclusions reached?
   • summary of effects
   • mitigation design
   • report preparation
   • public presentations
   • regulatory hearing participation
5. Environmental Protection Plan
   What can be done to ensure operations meet all guidelines, codes and regulations?
   • inspections
   • audits
   • reclamation
   • monitoring training
   • design specifications

AXYS assists their clients by focussing the assessment on only essential issues, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, mitigating the effects from project activities and developing a long-term program to ensure protection of the environment. We do this by providing a complete package of services — you may need one, many or all of these services to complete your assessment. We can help you determine which you need and what resources will be required.

Services

• EIA reports for regulatory submission
• Environmental screenings
• Baseline studies and field work
• Ecological land classification
• Public consultation
• Aboriginal relations and traditional land use studies
• Effects modelling
• Cumulative effects assessment
• Site and route selection
• Mapping and effects visualization
• Environmental protection plans
• Conservation and reclamation plans
• Integrated resource management
• Environmental inspections and audits
• Environmental monitoring

Selected Experience

AXYS has been providing expertise in EIA since 1974. With the support of over 30 scientists, engineers and technologists, and state-of-the-art analytical laboratories, field equipment and computing facilities, our team provides a wide range of services and experience.

We have managed and participated in numerous environmental assessments related to:

• land-based and offshore oil and gas developments
• hydroelectric facilities and transmission lines
• telecommunication projects
• recreational and resort developments
• highways
• forestry
• agriculture, irrigation and drainage
• mining
• tanker transportation
• coastal engineering projects and dredging
• industrial plants and hazardous waste facilities

These projects have been conducted in a variety of geographic regions — arctic, sub-arctic, temperate, alpine, marine and tropical — throughout North America, eastern Europe and Russia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and Polynesia. Our assessment team has established a strong reputation for providing professional consulting services to a wide range of clients, including government, industry, indigenous peoples and international financial institutions.

Project Highlights

Surmont Commercial Oil Sands Project

Environmental Impact Assessment of Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. proposed 100,000 bpd Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) heavy oil sands project in Alberta's Athabasca Oil Sands.

Express Pipeline

Environmental Impact Assessment of Express Pipeline Ltd's 172,000 bpd, 435 km long oil pipeline in southern Alberta.

Three Sisters Resorts

Environmental Impact Assessment of potential effects on wildlife due to Three Sisters Golf Resorts Inc. recreational and residential resort in Alberta's Rocky Mountains.

Cold Lake Expansion Project

Environmental Impact Assessment of Imperial Oil Resources Ltd. major expansion of their Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) heavy oil sands facilities in Alberta's Cold Lake Oil Sands.