Science Response 2019/015

Science Review of the Phase 2 Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Baffinland Mary River Project

Context

The Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) issued a Project Certificate to the Proponent Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (BIM) in December 2012, enabling the Mary River Project's Northern and Southern routes to proceed to the regulatory phase. The Mary River Project is an operating open pit iron ore mine located on North Baffin Island in Nunavut (Figure 1). The mine site is connected to the Milne Inlet Port via the Milne Inlet Tote Road and ore is transported to Europe via the Northern Shipping Route through Eclipse Sound, Pond Inlet and Baffin Bay (Figure 1). The Southern Transportation Corridor has not been constructed to date.

Figure 1. Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation Mary River Project location, transportation corridors and shipping routes for the Milne Port (currently operational) and the Steensby Port (not constructed).

Given the financial costs and risks associated with full implementation of the Project at that time, BIM decided to take a phased approach, beginning with a smaller, less-costly option called the Early Revenue Phase (ERP). Since then, BIM has submitted for two Project amendments to increase the volume of ore shipments, including most  recently the Phase 2 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for technical review to the NIRB. The Phase 2 FEIS describes the activities associated with the second phase of the Project (an increase to a total of 12 Mtpa road/rail haulage and marine shipping) and provides an updated effects assessment.
As part of the technical review stage, DFO Fisheries Protection Program (FPP) has requested that DFO Science review and provide advice on the FEIS, with an emphasis on the assessment of impacts to marine mammals and the marine environment. 

The objective of this review is to assess whether the Phase 2 FEIS provides sufficient evidence to support the Proponent's conclusions regarding potential ecosystem impacts of the expanded Mary River Project on marine aquatic species and habitats (particularly as it relates to marine mammals and shipping). More specifically, the objectives are to:

1. assess the quality and adequacy of information presented in the FEIS, and determine if any relevant information is missing and if there are gaps in the analyses;
2. determine if appropriate methods were used in the FEIS to develop conclusions, and if the information presented supports those conclusions;
3. determine the appropriateness and adequacy of the proposed mitigation and monitoring measures in the FEIS, and;
4. if necessary, recommend additional or alternative mitigation and monitoring measures to reduce or avoid impacts to fish and fish habitat, including marine mammals.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process held February 5, 2019 on the Science Review of the Final Environmental Impact Statement Addendum for the Baffinland Mary River Project Phase 2.

Complete document (PDF, 1,798681 KB)

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