Notice of Determination 
October 23, 2024 – The Prince Rupert Port Authority issued its Notice of Determination and determined that the Ridley Island Barge Landing Restoration Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:
•    Biophysical Environment Baseline Conditions
•    Social Environment
•    Public Consultation
•    Indigenous Consultation
•    Environmental Components 
•    Health, Social and Economic Components
•    Impacts on Indigenous Peoples

Mitigation Measures taken into account for this determination are:

Air Quality and GHG Emissions
•    Idling time will be limited by requiring operators to shut off engines when machinery is parked.
•    Optimization of access roads and infrastructure to reduce transportation and haul distances.
•    Engines and exhaust systems will be properly maintained to keep construction and operation equipment in good working condition.
•    Trucks and vehicle idling times and cold starts will be reduced to the extent possible
•    Access roads will be maintained in good condition, with regular inspections to monitor loose dust.
•    During dry periods, water will be applied to access roads to reduce dust emissions. The application of water will be limited to non-freezing temperatures to avoid icing that can present a safety hazard. Watering is most effective immediately after application, and repeated watering several times a day might be required, depending on surface and meteorological conditions.
•    Vehicle speed on the access road will be limited to maximize fuel efficiency and reduce dust mobilization.
•    Surfaces of topsoil and overburden stockpiles will be stabilized during extended periods between usage, by means of vegetating or covering the exposed surfaces.

Noise
•    Construction activities will generally occur within standard PRPA construction hours (e.g., 7:00 AM to 7 PM)
•    Maximize scheduling of construction activities during day-time hours and weekdays.
•    A Project Complaints and Response Plan will be developed and implemented for the construction phase of the Project.
•    If noise complaints related to construction traffic are received, they will be logged by PRPA and investigated to assess whether they are linked to Project activities.
•    Idling time will be limited by requiring operators to shut off engines when machinery is parked.
•    Soft starts will be used for potentially disturbing activities (e.g., pile installation).

Vegetation
•    A CEMP will be prepared and implemented and will include erosion and sediment control measures, soil management, invasive plant management, vegetation disposal, monitoring, and reporting requirements for the Project.
•    The Project boundary will be clearly flagged prior to construction; clearing of vegetation outside the Project boundary will be prohibited.
•    If vegetation restoration is required, native plant and seed mixes will be used.
•    Temporary workspaces will avoid areas with known provincially listed ecological communities or old forest, where feasible.
•    Standing dead trees will be retained where possible and if trees must be cut for safety measures, trees will be cut as high as possible (3–5 m) while keeping work sites safe, to retain old forest features.
•    Clearing and disturbance of riparian vegetation will be limited to the smallest extent required.
•    Given the small area anticipated to require vegetation clearing and the infrequency of the occurrence (e.g., one time vegetation removal with periodic maintenance as needed to maintain access), Project construction activities will have negligible effects on vegetation.

Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat
•    Laydown areas, temporary workspaces, and storage areas will be limited to within the boundaries of the Project footprint, to the extent possible. If laydown areas, temporary workspaces, or storage areas are required outside of the Project footprint, they will be located in existing disturbed areas.
•    Vegetation clearing, grubbing and grading should occur outside of the breeding period for migratory birds (April 9 to August 7 in Nest Zone A2 [ECCC 2023a]).
o    If vegetation clearing and disturbance activities cannot be avoided during the breeding period for migratory birds, a pre-disturbance bird nest survey will be undertaken in advance by a qualified biologist.
o    If nesting activity is identified during the pre-disturbance survey, appropriate no-disturbance setbacks and timing restrictions will be implemented as determined by a qualified biologist in accordance with federal or provincial guidelines (ECCC 2023b, BC MOE 2013).
o    If a raptor or great blue heron nest is identified within the clearing limits of the Project footprint and the boundaries of the clearing limits cannot be altered to avoid the nest, the nest will be removed or relocated once it is vacated.
•    Discovery of active nests will be reported to the Environmental Monitor immediately.
•    A pre-construction wildlife survey will be undertaken by an environmental monitor in advance of construction.
•    Vegetation clearing will take place outside of the migratory bird period, where feasible. If clearing must take place during the migratory bird period, protocols to avoid disturbing nests will be described in the CEMP.
•    Maximum speed limits on roads will be established and communicated to Project personnel. Project personnel will adhere to posted speed limits to reduce the risk of collisions with wildlife. Wildlife-vehicle and wildlife-train collisions and near misses will be reported to PRPA.
•    Project wastes and recycling materials, including sewage, food wastes, and wastes associated with equipment maintenance and repairs, will be temporarily stored on site in wildlife-proof containers and will be regularly transferred to an approved disposal or sorting facility. Wildlife incidents related to garbage or human food attractants will be reported.
•    Environmental monitors will conduct a survey for the presence of fish and amphibians from the existing wetted area of the project footprint and salvage will be undertaken as needed.  

Marine Resources
•    Constructions works, undertakings and activities will proceed in a way so as to limit the trapping and stranding of fish.
•    Grubbing, clearing, and infilling extents within riparian/intertidal/subtidal areas will be limited to the amount required for safe passage of equipment and construction of the Project.
•    A CEMP will be prepared and implemented for the Project and will include erosion and sediment control measures, soil management, monitoring, and reporting requirements.
•    Re-fueling or maintenance of heavy equipment within 30 m of any waterbodies will require the use of a spill containment kit.
•    Rock or other materials used for construction will not leach substances that are harmful to fish.
•    The engineering design will reduce, to the extent possible, the in-water footprint of the Project.
•    To the greatest extent possible, Project components located above the low-water mark will be installed in the dry at low tide.
•    An environmental monitor will be employed for any in-water work.
•    Develop and implement a Marine Underwater Noise Management Plan to avoid harm to fish and marine mammals as a result of pile installation activities.
•    Vibratory pile driving will be used in place of impact pile driving when feasible to reduce the overall noise generated by pile installation.
•    Marine mammal observer(s) should be present during pile driving activities to monitor for cetaceans and pinnipeds within the monitoring zones. If a cetacean or pinniped enters their respective monitoring zone, pile driving and pile drilling should be suspended until the individual has left the monitoring zone or has not been sighted for 30 minutes (see Appendix D for monitoring zones).
•    An effective attenuation device(s) (e.g. bubble curtain around full wetted length of the pile) should be installed and functioning prior to and during impact pile driving.
•    A ramp up sequence for impact pile driving that includes a soft start up procedure, where the impact energy is gradually increased over a 10-minute period, should be implemented at the initiation of pile driving activities and following any break of 30 minutes or more.
•    Avoidance measures to limit the disturbance of sediments will be implemented for construction and operations of the facility. 
•    Environmental monitors will complete a pre/post-construction survey of the intertidal area prior to placement of shoreline armouring and salvage will be completed for any remaining non-sessile (mobile) species.

Species at Risk
•    Mitigation measures to manage potential effects on vegetation species are outlined in the Vegetation section above.
•    Mitigation measures to manage potential effects on wildlife species at risk are outlined in the Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat section above.
•    Mitigation measures to manage potential effects on marine species at risk are outlined in the Marine Resources section above.

Health, Social and Economic Components
•    Mitigation measures to manage potential effects on air quality and GHG emissions are outlined in the Air Quality and GHG Emissions section above.
•    Mitigation measures to manage potential effects on noise are outlined in the Noise section above.
•    A CEMP will be prepared and implemented and will include erosion and sediment control measures, soil management, invasive plant management, vegetation disposal, monitoring, and reporting requirements for the Project.

The authorities are satisfied that the carrying out of the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. Therefore, the authorities may carry out the project, exercise any power, perform any duty or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.