Science Response 2012/038
Review of the Donkin Export Coking Coal Project Environmental Assessment
Context
Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) Habitat Management Division, Maritimes Region, is reviewing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the re-opening of Donkin Coal Mine in Sydney, Cape Breton, to determine if the project is likely to result in negative impacts to fish and fish habitat. DFO’s Ecosystem Management Branch requested that DFO Science review the EIS and address some specific questions.
The specific questions from DFO Ecosystem Management Branch to DFO Science were:
- Based on the project as proposed, are the environmental effects identified complete for: freshwater fish and fish habitat; the marine environment; and, commercial and recreational fisheries?
- Are the methodologies used to describe these effects appropriate?
- In consideration of the methodology used, do the results support the conclusions as presented?
This Science Response report is from the Regional Science Special Response Process (SSRP) of May 2012 on the Review of the Donkin Export Coking Coal Project Environmental Assessment. DFO’s SSRP was used to review the EIS and provide input due to the short deadline for advice and the fact that the advice will contribute to a broader Canadian Environmental Assessment Act process.
This Science Response Report results from the Science Special Response Process that included an initial DFO review of a draft EIS (May 2012), as well as a more recent DFO review of an updated version of the EIS (July 2012) and a disposition table that lists the proponent’s response to comments received from regulators during the initial review of the draft EIS.
Overall, the quality of scientific content presented in the EIS is of a high level and sound. Although most previous DFO comments have been addressed adequately, it is important to recognize that uncertainty remains for several areas of concern, and caution is warranted with respect to these areas, in particular: the long term stability of geosynthetic clay liners; assumptions on how PAH exposure will impact the health of aquatic animals; the effect that sea ice may have on the project; the effects of noise transmission to the marine environment; the increased risk of vessel strikes on turtle and whales; and the likelihood and cumulative impacts of several adverse situations occurring simultaneously.
Also, if particular mitigation practices are proposed to reduce risk, such as vessel routing or speed restrictions, sufficient monitoring, verification and enforcement processes may be necessary.
Accessibility Notice
This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.
- Date modified: