Benoît Roberge, Parks Canada Agency

Created in 1972, the Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site of Canada (CBNHSC) commemorates the first wintering site of Jacques-Cartier. The 6.8 h park, located in Quebec City, includes an interpretation centre, a vast greenspace and a waterway comprising the confluence of the Lairet River, channelled into the St. Charles River.

Prior to its creation, the CBNHSC and the shores of the Lairet River that crossed it were used as a fill zone and dump site. The soil contained concentrations of hydrocarbons, PAH, metals and sulphur remaining from past uses. In Moreover, a steel pipeline (250 m long by 4 m wide) installed by the City of Quebec around 1970 to channel the Lairet River now requires replacement because of the hazards it poses to visitors and flood risks in the area.

In 2007 Parks Canada initiated a reconditioning project at the Lairet River to replace this pipeline, choosing to discharge the chanelled water away from the river and to restore the former, historic route of the Lairet River. The purpose of this integrated project is to restore and enhance the natural character of the site, but also to enhance its commemorative integrity and improve the experience for visitors.

Following a feasibility study, major work (Phase I, II) was therefore performed in 2007 and 2008 to reconfigure the site to match the era of Jacques-Cartier and to characterize and remove contaminated soil through funding provided by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan. Parks Canada also commissioned an analysis of the ecological and human health risks involved as well as environmental assessments. In 2008 and 2009, an action plan was developed and the site was cleaned up by excavating and disposing of almost 3,000 m3 of contaminated soil at authorized locations.

In the summer of 2009, a program to re-naturalize the shores of the Lairet river and the site was launched (Phase III), including the planting of trees, shrubs and water plants to enhance the natural integrity of the site. Furthermore, walkways, a bicycle path, urban furnishings and a new pavilion will be redeveloped.

The Lairet River revitalization project will offer a safe site that is more inviting for visitors. It will prevent degradation of the site and possible contamination of water around the Lairet River and the St. Charles River.

Kathy Kitagawa1, Jean-Rene Michaud1, Julian Hayward2, Ed McBean2
1Contaminated Sites Division, Environment Canada
2Conestoga-Rovers and Associates

The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) is a cost-shared program that allows federal custodians of contaminated sites to remediate or risk-manage eligible contaminated sites for which they are responsible. Stewardship of federal real property, including responsibility and accountability for managing contaminated sites, rests with the custodians. FCSAP complements and assists custodial activities related to contaminated sites, with priority given to those sites where the hazard and exposure potential of contaminants represent the highest risk to human health and the environment.

Climate experts predict many environmental impacts due to climate change that could potentially affect contaminated sites management. As a result, the Contaminated Sites Division of Environment Canada undertook an initial scoping exercise with three goals: to assess whether climate change should be considered by custodians in their selection of remedial/risk management strategies; to identify its importance given that areas of Canada would be affected differently; and, to what extent it should be considered.

For federal contaminated sites managers, these studies are essential. The results of climate change studies indicate that measurable effects from global warming are already evident over most of Canada and that the impacts of climate warming on Canadian ecosystems may accelerate as atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations continue to increase. The rates and relative impacts of climate warming are predicted to be more severe in the higher latitude regions of the globe. Impacts related to ambient temperature changes, permafrost melting, changes in precipitation regimes, etc. could have real effects on remediation/risk management strategies and could consequently impact the long-term effectiveness of actions to address contaminated sites in various parts of Canada.

This presentation looks at the key elements that should be considered by federal custodians in the selection and design of contaminated sites management approaches in Canada, and proposes a set of criteria that will assist custodians in assessing the severity of the potential effects of climate change on the different remediation or risk management options that can be considered for addressing contaminated sites.

For each potential impact, the criteria to be considered include factors such as site location, types of contaminants and their environmental fate, mobility, toxicity, volatility, etc. that influence the source-pathway-receptor model of pollutant linkage. Other important criteria to take into account will be the timeframe for each remediation/risk strategy.

Finally, this presentation outlines recommendations at the program level as well as impact reduction, mitigation and adaptation strategies that could be adopted at short, mid, and long-term stages by federal custodians in managing sites based on the most recent scientific, technical, policy, and best-practices information available.

John Snell1, Rod Heitzman1, Mikailou Sy2, Jim Jorawsky3
1Western and Northern Service Centre, Parks Canada Agency
2Ecological Integrity Branch, National Parks Directorate, Parks Canada Agency
3Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, Parks Canada Agency

Bar U Ranch is a national historic site located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near the town of Longview, Alberta. The site commemorates and provides a unique opportunity for visitors to experience ranching history in Western Canada. In keeping with the Parks Canada Agency mandate, emphasis is placed upon providing the historic experience to Canadians while protecting both environmental and cultural/historic values of this site. An environmental audit in 2003 identified the potential for historic waste disposal practices, in the form of two disposal areas or middens, to have resulted in the potential for impacts to workers, visitors and the environment. Subsequent assessment confirmed this potential, identifying pathways for contaminant exposure to people, livestock and wildlife. Earlier archaeological surveys had identified the middens as containing cultural resources worthy of protection. This paper will describe the multi-disciplinary process and outcomes by which these cultural resources were considered and accommodated in the effort to manage risks to people and the environment.

Grant R. Carey, Porewater Solutions
Dr. Edward A. McBean, University of Guelph

The economic benefits associated with aggressive remediation of chlorinated solvent DNAPL sources are not always clear. At some sites, significant time and money can be expended to implement DNAPL source remediation with little benefit to show for it.

This study presents a comparison of the economic benefits associated with three possible DNAPL source remedies including: 1) Surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR); 2) enhanced in situ bioremediation (EISB); and, 3) hydraulic containment of the source area without active source treatment. A hypothetical site is utilized with a moderate degree of geologic heterogeneity and a DNAPL source architecture that includes distribution in both entrapped (residual phase) ganglia and free phase pools.

An analytical spreadsheet model based on the source zone streamtube concept is utilized to evaluate the relative influence of these remedial alternatives on chemical concentrations and mass flux downgradient of the source zone. The model results are used to quantify the lifecycle costs for each remedial alternative based on complete and partial source remediation. The relative economic benefits are compared for each of the three alternatives, including an assessment of the relationship between economic benefit and the duration of active source treatment. Potential benefits associated with partial source treatment are illustrated, including changes to less expensive aboveground treatment technologies, and/or accelerated adoption of Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) for treatment of the downgradient plume.

Tracy Ma2, Stefan Reinecke1, Michael Nahir2
1Stratos Inc.
2Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

The Northern Contaminated Sites Program (CSP) is responsible for the management of a number of contaminated properties that originated from private sector mining activities, oil and gas exploration, and government military activity. The CSP is looking to maximize the environmental sustainability of its remediation activities, with a focus on energy use and associated emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Stratos Inc. was retained to conduct a greenhouse gas (GHG) and energy assessment of two major remediation projects being undertaken by the Northern Contaminated Sites Program. The two projects, the Giant Mine Remediation Project (Giant Mine) and the Faro Mine Closure Project (Faro Mine), are two of the largest contaminated sites projects in Canada and potentially present a number of opportunities for reducing GHG emissions and energy use.

The objective of the assessment was to 1) identify opportunities to improve the environmental sustainability of these two projects by reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and, 2) to identify sustainable technologies, such as renewable energy technologies, that could be incorporated into the projects and be successfully implemented in Northern climates.

Short-term opportunities for reducing energy use and GHG emissions were identified for existing equipment, infrastructure, and practices. Medium- and long-term opportunities were identified for planned activities and systems, involving both existing and new infrastructure and equipment. The greatest potential for incorporating on-site renewable energy resources for both projects is for space heating in buildings, small low-energy equipment (i.e., monitoring stations), and for long-term water treatment and collection systems.

This presentation will provide a high level overview on an approach and methodology for a GHG and Energy Assessment, summarize the results of the assessment, discuss considerations for maximizing the use of suitable energy sources and other sustainable technologies, and present management and technical approaches for incorporating GHG and energy reductions in large-scale remediation projects in remote areas.

Robert Noël-de-Tilly1, Sylvain Hains1, Benoit Bourque1, Jean-René Michaud2, Sébastien Yelle3, Valérie Morin3
1Golder Associates Ltd.
2Environment Canada
3Public Works and Government Services Canada

Golder Associates Ltd. (Golder) has developed a decision support tool to embed sustainable development principles into remediation projects. The tool was initially developed in 2007 for a North American railroad carrier in order to improve contaminated sites management across their operations. Since then, the tool (called GoldSET) has been used in Europe, Australia, the USA and Canada in site remediation and waste management. It offers a framework to perform a “triple-bottom-line” assessment by giving consideration to technical, economical, environmental and social considerations. The tool offers an executable framework to support pragmatic decision making while taking into account these issues. A recent adaptation of the tool is discussed.

Golder was retained to adapt its sustainability-screening tool to assist in remedial project planning for a Canadian governmental agency. As part of this project, sustainability indicators were selected based on the needs and characteristics of the federal contaminated sites, governmental sustainability strategies, international guidelines and scientific references. With these indicators, the Federal Sustainability Evaluation Tool was developed in order to help managers decide on the most sustainable remedial options through the evaluation of environmental, social, and economic impacts.

The tool includes both qualitative and quantitative indicators. The quantitative indicators can be entered directly into the tool or can be estimated from simplified life-cycle analysis (LCA) modules built specifically for remediation technologies. The technologies currently included are: 1) excavation and soil disposal; 2) multi-phase extraction systems; 3) in-situ bioremediation; 4) chemical oxidation; and, 5) pump and treat systems.

The simplified LCA modules were developed to allow for a first-order quantitative comparison of the life-cycle environmental impacts of different remediation technologies applicable to a contaminated site when screening for a remediation technology. The simplified LCA modules were developed consistent with the current International Standards ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006. The impact categories currently included in the simplified LCA modules are greenhouse-gas emissions, energy use, water use and waste.

Figure 1: Process Diagram for Soil Excavation and Disposition

System boundaries for the remediation technologies included in this project were established through consultation of remediation specialists in order to depict all the processes involved in a remediation project and consistent with the diagrams provided by the study entitled Life Cycle Framework for Contaminated Site Remediation Options commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy (1998). An example of the process diagram is depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 2: Results of the SD Evaluation for Two Options

The output from the Federal Sustainability Evaluation will be presented by a ternary representation (Figure 2) where the most sustainable option is represented by the largest, most balanced triangle with respect to the three axes of the graph (the environmental, social and economic performance of the options under consideration).

Grant R. Carey and Dr. Edward A. McBean, Porewater Solutions

Enhanced Attenuation (EA) is defined as the use of lower-energy, sustainable technologies for the purpose of reducing mass flux from a source zone or to increase the attenuation capacity of an aquifer. The purpose of an EA remedy is to facilitate the transition from aggressive remedial actions to Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA). When evaluating the efficacy of an EA remedy, one must answer the question (ITRC, 2008): “Is it possible through enhancements to augment the natural attenuation processes so that they operate more effectively and sustain themselves without further intervention?” The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) recently developed a manual to provide guidance to regulators and practitioners for the implementation of Enhanced Attenuation (EA) remedies. [Note: the corresponding author participated on the ITRC Enhanced Attenuation: Chlorinated Organics Team that developed this guidance manual.]

This presentation describes: 1) the importance of evaluating the balance between mass loading from the source and the attenuation capacity of an aquifer; 2) the EA decision framework that can be used for making site remedial decisions; and, 3) the ITRC-recommended toolbox of EA technologies that can be considered for site remediation alternatives. The criteria used to ensure the adoption of sustainable, lower energy technologies as part of an EA remedy is discussed. A conceptual example is used to illustrate a remediation timeline for transitioning between aggressive source remediation, and EA/MNA. Potential benefits and limitations associated with EA remedies are outlined based on a review of available case studies in the literature. A summary of the strategy for adopting EA into various regulatory programs in the United States is also discussed.

Philippe Simon, Qikitaaluk Environmental Inc.

Cape Christian was built by the U.S. Coast Guard and operated from 1954 to 1975 a part of the communication network developed in the Arctic during the cold war. This federal contaminated site was tendered for remediation by Public Work Government Services Canada in April 2007 and the work was awarded to Qikiqtaaluk Logistics. The scope of the presentation is not to address the remediation work but more to discuss how one of the challenges will result in sustainable development that will strongly benefit the nearest community and the environment in general.

The Cape Christian site is located about 16 km away from the community of Clyde River, on the coast of the Davis Strait in Nunavut. The site can be accessed by small aircraft using the old beach airstrip that is very soft and would require major upgrades should it be used to support the remediation operations. A road was used in the past, but it is now only practicable by all terrain vehicles due to severe damage on the many creek crossings and due to the absence of a bridge over the Clyde River. During the tender process, Qikiqtaaluk consulted with representatives of the community of Clyde River who mentioned it has long been a desire to have permanent crossing, including a bridge, to have a direct access to the Davis Strait which would save on fuel when boating for hunting. Qikiqtaaluk decided to conduct this project at its own cost without incurring any expenses on the remediation contract.

The paper will explain all the steps required including the fish studies, habitat compensation plans, bridge design and construction and culvert installation that resulted in road able to support the remediation activities that are scheduled to be completed in 2010. Once completed, the project will leave a permanent structure for the community that will allow a more direct access to their resources and will result in the mitigation of damaged fish habitats caused by traffic, all of which are sustainability considerations that were included in the remediation of the Cape Christian project in Nunavut.

Tony Hawke, Geo., Terrapex Environnement Ltée.

As environmental professionals, we all have to make choices when it comes to managing a rehabilitation project. Among other things, these choices concern the technology to be used, the machinery and equipment required, disposal of contaminated material and so on. But are these choices, important and made on a daily basis, in harmony with the principles of sustainable development?

This presentation basically aims to provoke thought on the choices we make in managing environmental-type projects. Bear in mind that sustainable development is when a harmonious balance exists between the environment, economic and social aspects of our society.

Time and money are the two criteria considered most often, and rightfully so, but frequently factors such as the energy cost of field work and its impact on wild plants and animals, and the visual appearance of a site are overlooked. Are we really aware that in some cases, the environmental balance sheet is negative, i.e., the negative effects of contamination might be less serious than the environmental damaged caused by renewal work? It therefore seems appropriate to develop a tool that is easy and quick to use to help environmental professionals make better choices consistent with the fundamental principles of sustainable development.