Science Response 2012/016

Science review of Baffinland’s Mary River Project final environmental impact statement

Context

The Mary River Project is a proposed iron ore mine located at Mary River on North Baffin Island in Nunavut. Planned Project operations include mining, crushing, screening, rail transport and marine shipping of high grade iron ore. Two port facilities would be constructed on Baffin Island, in Milne and Steensby inlets. The Milne Inlet port will be used mainly during the construction phase of the project and will not be used to ship ore. The Proponent is proposing to use cape sized vessels with ice-breaking capabilities to load ore at the Steensby Inlet port, in northeastern Foxe Basin, and transport it to market in Europe. They are proposing to transit Foxe Basin and Hudson Strait approximately every two days year round. Based on current ore reserves, the mine would operate for 21 years and the duration of the Project, from the start of construction activities to post-closure, is expected to be 33 years.

Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (BIM) submitted their draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2011. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Central and Arctic Region’s Ecosystems Management sector requested science advice to assist in developing the Departmental response to this draft. DFO Science reviewed the report and provided advice (DFO 2012a, Stewart et al. 2012) to Ecosystem Management for their consideration in developing a departmental response.

On February 13, 2012, BIM submitted their final EIS for the Mary River Project (BIM 2012) to the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB). On February 29, 2012, the NIRB initiated the public technical review period of the Project. DFO Science was asked by Ecosystems Management sector to review and provide advice on the final EIS. The objectives of this review are to assess whether the final EIS provides sufficient evidence to support the Proponent’s conclusions regarding potential ecosystem impacts of the Mary River Project on marine aquatic species and habitats, especially increased shipping activities on marine mammals. The scope of this review is limited to production and shipment of 18 million tonnes per annum (Mt/a) of high-grade iron ore. The results will be provided to the Habitat program for consideration in the Department’s intervener comments due to NIRB by May 30, 2012.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Special Response Process of May 15, 2012 on the science review of Baffinland’s Mary River Project final Environmental Impact Statement.

Complete document (PDF, 214 KB)

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