Montreal – March 11, 2024 – Transport Canada has determined that the proposed project Repair of the western riprap at La Romaine commercial wharf, located in La Romaine, Québec is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

 

This determination was based on a consideration of the following factors:

• impacts on rights of Indigenous peoples;
• Indigenous knowledge;
• community knowledge;
• comments received from the public; and
• technically and economically feasible mitigation measures.

Mitigation measures taken into account for this determination are:

Air quality

• Keep the site clean to limit dust proliferation.
• Turn off engines on machinery and equipment when not in use.
• Ensure that vehicles and equipment used are maintained in perfect working order.
• Adopt a working method that minimizes the emission of fine particles. The use of water to suppress dust should only be done with great care and with appropriate recovery and management of runoff water.
• Take the necessary measures to comply with the Clean Air Regulations. The distance beyond which diffuse emissions of particulate matter must not be visible in the atmosphere is 2 m from the point of emission.

Fish and Aquatic Habitat

• Carry out the work in a dry environment, without temporary structures, i.e. during low tide.
• If work cannot be carried out the dry and without temporary structures, it should be carried out during the period of lowest risk for fish and fish habitat, i.e. between October 1 and April 30; and between July 15 and September 30 from sunrise to sunset only (no work in the water between May 1 and July 14, and at night between July 15 and September 30).
• If the work cannot be carried out dry, implement erosion and sediment control measures prior to the start of the project, such as installing a sediment curtain for the duration of the in-water activities.
• Limit the duration of activities in the water.
• Carry out work when weather conditions are favourable and suspend work when weather conditions deteriorate.
• Limit disturbance of fish habitat features to the area required to carry out the project by operating machinery from the wharf during all phases of the project and limiting  operation of vehicles and machinery to the area required to carry out the project.
• Ensure that machinery arrives at the project site in a clean condition and is maintained free of invasive species and noxious plants weeds.
• Develop and implement an erosion and sediment control plan for all phases of the project.
• Regularly observe the watercourse for signs of suspended sediment during all phases of the project. If sediment dispersion is observed, construction should stop immediately. Corrective actions must be suggested to Transport Canada and implemented before work resumes. 
• Inspect the sediment controls regularly during all phases of the project and repair the erosion and sediment controls if necessary.
• Use biodegradable materials for erosion and sediment control whenever possible.
• Remove all erosion and sediment control measures (unless they are biodegradable) once the project site has been stabilized.
• Use clean, dust-free materials.

Surface water:

• Keep all jobsite machinery clean, in good working order and free of leaks.
• Use appropriate work procedures to prevent debris from entering the aquatic environment. Any debris accidentally introduced into the water must be removed as soon as possible and disposed of in accordance with regulations.
• Recommend the use of machinery (hydraulic excavators) running on biodegradable hydraulic oil within 30 metres of a body of water.
• Maintain a minimum distance of 30 metres from the gulf, an aquatic environment or a wetland when refuelling, parking machinery and storing petroleum products. If this distance cannot be maintained, the contractor will be required to install an adequate secondary containment system to contain a potential spill. 
• Place stones and/or materials as close as possible to the riprap in place to prevent them from ending up unnecessarily on the bottom of the water.
• Ensure that construction materials used in the water have been handled and treated in a manner that prevents the release or leaching into the water of substances that may be harmful to fish.
• Dispose of all land-based waste at a designated site located away from the natural high-water mark of any watercourse or body of water.
• Move machinery away from the shoreline, watercourse, body of water or wetland as soon as it is no longer in use.
• Cover dry materials, debris or garbage to prevent wind from kicking up dust or washing away debris.
• At the end of the period of use of the site, clear the work areas as quickly as possible of all equipment, machine parts, materials, waste, scrap metal, rubble or spoil from the work. Materials and waste must be managed in sites authorized to receive them, in accordance with the regulations in force.

Concreting

• Collect the concrete wash water and dispose of it off-site.
• Ensure that poured concrete is protected from rain at all times during concreting work.
• Remove concrete debris and dust from various concrete operations so that they do not enter the aquatic environment.
• Remove any unused aggregate and concrete debris and restore the surface to its original condition once the work is complete.

 

 

Accidents and malfunctions

• Keep away from surface waters and sumps any equipment or machinery that leaks hydrocarbons, fuel, engine oil or hydraulic oil. This equipment must be taken out of service immediately, confined to an enclosure and repaired before work can proceed.
• When refueling machinery, take all necessary measures to minimize the risk of accidental spillage (stabilization of equipment and machinery before proceeding, constant monitoring during operations, drip trays, etc.).
• Maintain complete emergency response kits (absorbents, dry bags, blowout preventers, gloves, etc.) at all times in the vicinity of the work area to contain any spills.
• Develop an effective emergency response plan in the event of an environmental incident, spill or fire related to the characteristics and constraints of the project and its environment.
• The environmental emergency response plan must include the names of the persons and authorities to be contacted and the measures to be implemented in the event of a spill. This contingency plan must be submitted to Transport Canada at least 5 working days prior to the start of the work.
• Any spill must be reported immediately to the site supervisor, ECCC emergency services (1-866-283-2333), the MELCCFP Environmental Emergency Service (1-866-694-5454) and the Canadian Coast Guard (1-800-363-4735).  Transport Canada will also need to be notified.
• Any contaminant spill must be immediately responded to to limit and recover pollutants and work must be stopped. Pollutants will have to be managed according to current standards.
• In the event of an accidental spill, dry up the source of the spill within the limits recommended by safety as soon as possible. A boom and/or oil-absorbing mat will need to be deployed to contain the spill. Mats or booms must be stored in a container identified on the shore side and must be towed into place to absorb or contain the spill.
• If soils are contaminated by an accidental spill, they should be stacked on a waterproof membrane and covered with a waterproof membrane or placed in leak-proof containers. They must then be analysed and managed according to their contamination levels in authorised sites that comply with the regulations in force.
• Any waste or pollutants associated with this incident must be managed and disposed of off-site in accordance with current regulations. Documentation of a compliant provision shall be provided to the Transport Canada Project Manager.

 

Security

• Notify site users in advance of the work.
• A security perimeter must be demarcated around the work area to restrict access to authorized personnel.
• Ensure the safety of workers and the public by marking the worksite and installing adequate signage.
• Always maintain used traffic lanes in good condition and take the necessary measures to ensure that they can be used and crossed by other users without problems.

Transport Canada is satisfied that that the carrying out of the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

Therefore, Transport Canada 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.