Building a Strong Environmental Baseline: EA Best Practices

Recently, I had the chance to lecture alongside my colleague Steve Gullage, SEM’s VP of Environment and Climate Change, at the Mineral Resource Review PEGNL Short Course on Environment Assessments, Best Practices & Stakeholder Engagement. I’m happy to share this brief summary of our lecture on a complex process that we continue to learn from and perfect over time.  

Environmental Assessments (EAs) are critical in capturing the current environmental conditions so that we can understand and anticipate how a project might impact the ecosystem. Establishing a solid baseline is where it all begins—a comprehensive snapshot of the environment that lays the groundwork for responsible planning and effective mitigation.  

We start with desktop mapping of sensitive areas, like aquatic and wildlife habitats, followed by consultations with regulators, Indigenous groups, and other stakeholders. This early collaboration, which often includes gathering Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), ensures that all crucial information is gathered and that we’re in line with regulatory expectations. From there, our field studies assess the natural environment in greater detail, covering atmospheric conditions, water resources, and land-based habitats.  

While each component of a thorough baseline study can be its own lecture, Steve and I stuck to a few key ones for discussion during our 45-minute presentation. Here’s a quick look at some of the main elements of the baseline program we discussed:

Atmospheric Environment

We collect climate data (like precipitation and temperature), air quality metrics, and provincial climate projections to understand how the project might impact air quality and adapt to future climate conditions.

Air Quality and Industrial Emissions  

Baseline air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and ambient conditions (noise, vibration, and light levels) are recorded to set a clear reference before construction begins.

Aquatic Environment

Lakes and streams are evaluated for fish habitat, including water quality and the presence of key species. We use sampling techniques like electrofishing to capture a snapshot of fish diversity and habitat health, while benthic macroinvertebrate and chlorophyll analyses reveal broader ecosystem trends.

Wetlands and Terrestrial Environment

We complete an ecological land classification (ELC) to describe the landscape and to help us focus on specialized habitats for species at risk. Special attention is given to migratory birds, raptors, and owls, as they’re protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and Wildlife Act.

Protecting Wildlife

Since White-Nose Syndrome has drastically impacted local bat populations, bat monitoring is now routine in environmental assessments. We use specialized software to identify bat species from echolocation, which is a great example of how consulting work has evolved to incorporate advanced technology and skills.

Staying Flexible for Environmental Stewardship  

One key takeaway is the importance of timing and flexibility in project planning and strategic site selection to minimize impacts. For instance, say we’ve prioritized a number of aquatic sites for assessment: If initial results show some of these sites as critical habitats (e.g. salmonid spawning sites), we can suggest layout adjustments to avoid significant environmental disruption.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race  

EA’s are complex and demand a broad range of expertise, careful planning, and ample preparation time. Rushing to complete these baseline programs by both the proponent and subject matter expert can lead to costly mistakes, so my motto is: “Think slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”. Taking the time to establish a thorough, well-paced baseline program sets up a project for long-term success and responsible stewardship, helping to preserve Newfoundland and Labrador’s natural heritage for future generations.

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