1. IAEA/CNSC RSLS Elliot Lake Ontario Canada Workshop Presented by Amy Sparks Environment Canada May 1, 2014 Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP)

2. Outline Background FCSAP Basics Progress and Accomplishments Guidance and Tools

3. What is a “contaminated site”? A contaminated site is "one at which substances occur at concentrations – above background (normally occurring) levels and pose or are likely to pose an immediate or long term hazard to human health or the environment, or – exceeding levels specified in policies and regulations."

4. Canadian Federal Legislation and Contaminated Sites No federal act or regulations specifically directed to contaminated site management Despite having no legislative authority, federal departments are diligent in the assessment and remediation of their sites To date, use of funding programs, policies and guidelines has been effective in ensuring sites are addressed “Polluter pays” principle Primary responsibility: owner of the site (eg. for federal property, the custodial department is responsible)

5. Federal Contaminated Sites Sites on lands owned/leased by the Government of Canada (GoC), or on non-federal lands where GoC has accepted responsibility for the contamination Contamination is most often a result of past activities with environmental consequences that were not well understood at the time. In 2005: –4200 known contaminated sites on Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI); suspected sites were not included –Extent of the problem not well understood –Environmental liability estimates were primarily based on extrapolations and unassessed sites

6. The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Program Objectives Reduce risks to human health and the environment from known federal contaminated sites Reduce associated environmental financial liabilities Ancillary benefits – employment, skills development and technology advancement Funding $3.5 billion, 15-year program established in 2005 – Program funding tied to recorded financial liabilities

7. Types of Federal Sites Result of practices/standards in government operations: –Leaking fuel storage tanks, PCB spills, heavy metal contamination –Typical locations: military bases, federal harbours, airports, light stations, firing ranges, First Nation lands, national parks Result of poor management practices of 3rd party operations on federal land: –E.g. Abandoned mine sites in the north

8. Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI) Mandatory reporting by custodial departments to provide information on federal contaminated sites: ‒ location ‒ types of contaminants/extent of contamination ‒ actions taken at the site ‒ costs ‒ liability Information uploaded to a publically available database, updated annually Data used to estimate financial liability associated with the site (reported to Treasury Board)

9. Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI) www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/fcsi-rscf/

10. FCSAP Program Basics (1 / 3 ) Contaminated Sites Management Process –Builds on framework established under Treasury Board policies on managing real property –Takes a risk-based approach to addressing federal contaminated sites in Canada –GoC has developed a science based 10-step process for managing federal sites. For further details, you can consult the guidance document A Federal Approach to Contaminated Sites and the FCSAP Decision-Making Framework.

11. Federal Approach – 10 Step Process Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Decision-Making Framework http://www.ec.gc.ca/Publications/default.asp?lang=En&xml=9B74C13C-A724-41BD- 8FC7-E525E4BC81EE

12. FCSAP Program Basics (2 / 3 ) Key Players in FCSAP Delivery –Environment Canada manages the FCSAP program (the “FCSAP Secretariat”) with support from Treasury Board Secretariat –Custodians work closely with consultants, contractors and trades people in the assessment, remediation and risk management of contaminated sites –Four Expert Support Dept’s: Environment Canada, Health Canada and Fisheries & Oceans Canada review project documentation to ensure that the risks posed by the sites to human health and the environment have been adequately considered in the project proposals Public Works and Government Services Canada provides support for project management and procurement

13. FCSAP Program Basics (3 / 3 ) Funded activities –Site assessments –Remediation/risk management Cost-share –Based on “polluter pays” principle –Custodial Dept cost share 15-20% of total project cost –Projects >$90 million may be eligible for 100% funding Eligibility –Listed in the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory –Contamination occurred pre-1998 –For FCSAP Phase II: only highest priority sites can be funded, i.e. those ranked as Class 1, or Class 2 (if remediation begun before April 1, 2011) under National Classification System for Contaminated Sites (NCSCS)

14. CCME National Classification System for Contaminated Sites (NCSCS) ScoreClassification 70 – 100Class 1: High Priority for Action 50 – 70Class 2: Medium Priority for Action 37 – 50Class 3: Low Priority for Action < 37Class N: Not a Priority for Action < 15Class INS: Insufficient Information Basis for FCSAP screening process to determine eligibility for funding

15. Conclusion/Summary TB Real Property Policies apply to all contaminated sites under federal government responsibility Human and Ecological Health Risk Assessment considerations must be incorporated Stakeholders considerations must also be considered in the application of current and intended land use and criteria selection

16. 16 FCSAP Accomplishments to Date (2005/06-2012/13) After 8 years of 15 year Program: Better understanding of the size and extent of the federal contaminated sites problem Sites on the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (FCSI) increased from 4,000 known in 2005 to over 22,200 known or suspected sites currently Assessment activity on 9,700 sites Completion of assessment on 6,900 sites Remediation on 1,500 sites Completion of remediation on 730 sites $2.054B spent as of 2013 (of which $1.844B FCSAP funding; $210M custodian funding) Over 11,000 jobs created

17. FCSAP Expert Support Guidance and Tools Tools for improved decision making Decision-Making Framework Priority for Assessment Tool Cost Management/Lessons Learned Database Framework General and Science-Based project management tools/guidance FCSAP Database of Guidelines Revised FCSAP 2009 Aquatic Sites Classification System National Classification System for Contaminated Sites and Aquatic Site Classification System – Supplemental Guidance Site Closure Tool Long Term Monitoring Planning Guidance Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance and Modules 17

18. General and Science-Based project management tools/guidance (cont.) Statement of Work for Ecological Risk Assessment Nickel Human Health Soil Quality Guideline – Submitted to CCME in 2012 Interim Advice to Federal Custodian Departments for the Management of Federal Contaminated Sites Containing Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) Interim Guidance on Human Health Risk Assessment for Short-Term Exposure to Carcinogens at Contaminated Sites Sustainability Decision Support Tool Sediment Costing Tool Management Handbook for Contaminated Sites Remediation Case Studies and Best Practices Guidance For more FCSAP Guidance, please visit the FCSAP Web portal at: http://www.federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=B15E990A-1 http://www.federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca/default.asp?lang=En&n=B15E990A-1 18 FCSAP Expert Support Guidance and Tools

19. 19 Thank You Questions? More information: Federal Contaminated Sites Web portal www.federalcontaminatedsites.gc.ca Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/fcsi-rscf FCSAP.PASCF@ec.gc.ca