RPIC, June 2015
Edmonton, June 2015
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF THE FORMER MID-CANADA LINE RADAR SITE WINISK CLUSTER (SITES 500, 424, 427,503 and 506) WINISK ONTARIO Social, Logistical and Technical Issues
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Table of Contents
u Historical overview of the Mid-Canada Line
u Winisk, Site 500
u Clean-up methodology and challenges
u Involvement of Weenusk First Nation (WFN)
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Historical overview, Mid-Canada Line (MCL)
u The 3 main radar detection lines were located as follows: w Pinetree Line along the 49th parallel
w The MCL along the 55th parallel
w The DEW line along the 70th parallel
u MCL consisted of 8 Sector Control Stations (SCS), and 90 Doppler Detection Stations (DDS)
u These sites/stations were stretched across 4,300 km from Hopedale, Labrador to Dawson Creek, British Columbia
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Winisk, Site 500
u Winisk Site 500 opened in 1957 and shut down in 1965
u Located at approximately 50 km from Peawanuck
u Site access w 800 km winter road
w Air
w Limited access by sea
u Site 500 also served as a staging point for aircraft during the construction of the eastern portion of the DEW Line.
u Site 500 was comprised of a main site and 4 Doppler Sites (424, 427, 503, 506)
u Clean-up project began in the winter of 2011 and was completed in the summer of 2013
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Winisk, Site 500
u The site included: w 11 major buildings, including a
gymnasium, mess hall, barracks, operations building, airport hangar and tower
w 17 derelict vehicles
w Over 22,000 empty fuel drums
w 18 POL petroleum tanks with PCB paint
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Winisk, Site 500
u Contamination concerns: w Asbestos
w PCB paint
w Mercury
w PCB and hydrocarbon contaminated soil
w Waste petroleum products
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Remediation work
u Asbestos abatement
u Construction of an engineering landfill
u Removal of hazardous materials from buildings w PCB ballasts, batteries, mercury switches, waste paint, etc.
u Excavation of contaminated soil w Low level PCB soil
w PH contaminated soil
u Drums and tanks management w Recovery of free products
u PCB paint removal from18 POL tanks
u Contaminated water treatment
u Recovery of hazardous materials from Doppler Sites w Sites 424, 427, 503, 506
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u Construction of an engineered landfill with a volume capacity of 30,400 m3
u Inert debris from building demolition, metal from tanks, pipelines and crushed drums were transferred to the landfill
u 20,661 m3 of PH soils meeting the O.reg 558-00, Schedule 4 for metals, PCBs, benzene, benzo(a)pyrene
Remediation Activities-Engineered Landfill
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u Excavation, removal and containerization of low level PCB contaminated soils with concentration between 0.3 to 50 ppm
u Total of 259 bags (750 m.t.) were containerized and disposed of offsite
Remediation-Low level PCB soils
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u 22,160 drums were found onsite in 4 different locations
u Drums were cleaned, crushed and transferred to the landfill
u Residual liquids were managed using a waste tracking protocol
Remediation-Drum Management
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u Work on Doppler Sites from Feb 18 to March 12, 2013 w Daily trips back and forth to each site by snowmobiles/
pickup and return to Peawanuck in the evening
Remediation-Doppler Sites
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Remediation-Doppler Sites
u Hazardous materials management from 4 Doppler Sites (Sites 424, 427, 503, 506) w Asbestos removal (floor tiles and pipe insulation)
w Electronic equipment (control panel, mercury switches, ballasts)
w Fuel tanks
w 1,023 drums
w 11,685 L of free product
u Work conducted during winter and summer - Recovery of contaminated materials by snowmobile
(winter 2013)
- Recovery of surplus materials by helicopter (summer 2013)
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Demobilization
u Off-site transportation of waste mainly conducted by the winter road (March 2013)
w 43 abandoned vehicles
w 1,800 m3 of soil and solid waste
u Shipping of contaminated soil and liquid waste by marine carrier (summer 2012), challenges related to: w Water depth in the channel
w Quality of the barge landing
w Meteorological conditions and tide
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MNR Aboriginal benefits Winisk project
u Section 2.5.1.11
u First Nation involvement may include but not be limited to:
w Bear monitors
w the operating and/or rental of heavy equipment
w Site security and Site maintenance,
w general labour, heavy equipment operators, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, job training, job development programs (students),
u Proponents should clearly demonstrate and document the proposed economic benefit to the First Nations
u Potential penalty if contractor do not respect commitments related to FN benefits expressed in the work methodology plan
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DND Aboriginal benefits Nunavut DEW line
u DND negotiated an agreement with NTI to establish minimum Inuit content that must be respected during the project w Minimum Inuit Employment Content must be at a minimum
of 65 – 68 %
w Minimum Inuit Contracting Content must be at a minimum of 60 – 75 %
u Contractors must submit a Contractor’s Inuit Participation Plan (CIPP) that describes how a company intends to respect the MIEC and the MICC
u The CIPP is opened and evaluated before the cost proposal, non-compliant CIPP would result in disqualification of the contractor
u The CIPP does not affect the score of the technical proposal or the submitted overall price for the work
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AANDC Aboriginal benefits projects in Nunavut
u No specific agreement in place with Inuit organisations
u Contractors are to set up in their proposal: w Inuit Employment Content (IEC)
w Inuit Contracting Content (ICC)
u No minimum requirement
u IEC and ICC are part of the evaluation of the proposal
u 20% of the technical proposal evaluation (weight 12/60) score with no minimum pass level required for Inuit Content but evaluation scores are used to score overall proposal
u System of penalty or bonus in relation with contractor proposal obligation
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u Listening to expectations
u Strong leadership from members of the Peawanuck Band council, Chief Edmond Hunter, Councillors and Elders
u Respect and equity
u Exchange how we can optimize benefits to the community
u Assess and discuss how expectations could be integrated in a competitive bid
u Keep communication open during entire process
u Properly define mutual responsibilities
u Ensure that benefits will serve the community after completion of the project
Key Elements of Partnership Success
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WFN, Social Considerations
u Sense of pride, collaboration for the improvement of the surrounding environment
u Remove visual traces and health risks from past military activities
u Important contribution through the WFN’s traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) w Ice conditions
w Drums cache
w Site access
u Consider specific interests of the community through this project
w Acquisition of heavy equipment, fuel tanks and trucks for the winter road
w Jobs and opportunity for advancement
w Development of local skills and expertise
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Social Involvement…
u Contribution to the construction of a playground in Peawanuck
u Yearly community meeting to present clean-up progress
u Hiring of a local liaison officer
u Production of a monthly newsletter posted in the community
u Contribution to the Healthy Children Program
u Sponsoring and participation in the Fishing Derby and a Community Feast
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Technical support provided to the WFN
u Clean-up tasks directly contracted by the WFN through the MNR w Removal of pipelines and tanks
w Collection of scattered debris and surface dumps
w Demolition of large POL tanks
u Coordination with Sanexen w Work methodology
w Health and safety procedures
w Equipment and manpower allocation
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Economic Benefits (WFN)
u Local employment, 70% of workforce hired through the WFN (excluding camp services) w Bear monitors
w Certified nurse
w Community liaison officer
w Foreman
w HEOs and truck drivers
w Labourers
u Camp services were provided by the WFN through a direct contract with the MNR
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u Leasing of heavy equipment, snowmobiles, ATVs and pick-up trucks from the WFN
u Transport and supply services by boat provided by local residents
u Lodging and meal services in Peawanuck for winter operations
u Financial and logistical support for the winter road
Economic Benefits (WFN)
Overall direct benefits to the community through Sanexen’s contract - $5.9M
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u Provisional tasks carried out by the WFN under separate contract with the MNR w Camp services
w POL tank demolition
w Pipeline dismantling
u Doppler building demolition
Economic Benefits (WFN)
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Training
u 54 workers - total of 5,634 hours of training provided to the community
u Sponsoring of a 21 day Environmental Monitor course to 6 community members (course accredited by Building Environmental Aboriginal Human Resources, BEAHR – ECO Canada)
u Over 10 different training sessions provided, including: w Asbestos abatement
w Confined space entry
w First Aid
w TDG1, WHMIS2
w Drum management
w PCB paint removal
w Heavy equipment coaching 1. Transport of Dangerous Goods 2. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
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Special thanks to:
u W. Michael Cartan, A/Regional Services Manager Northeast Region Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry of Ontario
u Dennis Borden, Project Engineer
u Peawanuck Chief and Council w Edmond Hunter (Chief)
w Jeff Hunter
w Paul Koostachin
w Peter Hunter
w Pamela Chokomolin
u Wayne Ingham, HED, Ph.D. VP WESA
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Romantic way to send a message