Dredging at the Algoma Steel Sawmill Bay Dock, St. Mary's River, Sault Ste. Marie

Algoma Steel's Sawmill Bay Dock (SMB) currently functions primarily as an unloading facility for coke (coal) products. The dock is limited in terms of the type of usage and allowable vessel size due to the existing dock infrastructure and the water depth in the area.   Algoma intends to utilize the SMB Dock in the future to unload recycled metal. In order to do so, two main upgrades are required:

(1) alterations to the dock structure to accept an increased variety of vessels as well as the associated equipment to unload them, and, (2) dredging of the riverbed adjacent to the dock and the approach to accommodate vessels with larger drafts.

The dredging will be undertaken using an arm cable bucket on a dredging barge.  Silt curtains will be utilized around the excavation areas to ensure minimal disturbance of suspended solids outside of the dredging area. The dredged material will be temporarily placed on the barge and moved to a bermed area on Algoma's Material Storage and Reprocessing Site. The dredged material will be characterized and sampled in accordance with the MECP Soil Rules as per O.Reg. 406/19 by a licensed third party engineering firm and qualified person.  Dewatering from the barge will consist of a vacuum truck removing the water from the barge and depositing it within Algoma's By-Product's Primary Cooler Sump, where the water will be treated and further processed at Algoma's Main Water Filtration Plant before final discharge back into the St. Mary's River.

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Latest update

Transport Canada issued its Notice of Determination and determined that the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

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Key documents

Key documents
Document number Document title File Date
1 Notice of Intent to Make a Determination - Start of Public Comment Period - June 19, 2024

Contacts

Transport Canada
Linda Beaulieu, Environmental Officer
Toronto, Ontario
Email: Linda.Beaulieu@tc.gc.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Algoma Steel's Sawmill Bay Dock, St. Mary's River - federal harbour of Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Ports and Harbours

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2024-06-19

  • Proponent

    Algoma Steel Inc.

  • Authorities

    • Transport Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    88649

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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