Understanding Federal Environmental Legislation

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

• Apply your skills in contracting, data management and reporting, inspections and investigations, negotiating project approvals, and environmental management
• Understand the federal legislation that directly impacts emissions from industrial and resource sector projects
• Identify practical approaches for federal environmental compliance
• Manage current environmental issues related to project development

Description
Federal environmental legislation has developed in the ways that it relates to major projects. In particular, the air quality management system has re-defined ways in which federal policy relates to project and regional air quality. The only way to avoid liability for non-compliance is to thoroughly understand federal regulatory requirements and how these are harmonized with the provinces. This course will increase your understanding of such issues and emphasizes the application of regulations in the various areas of concern to industry.

Whether you have limited previous knowledge simply need to study regulation updates, you will receive a comprehensive overview of the federal environmental regulations & how they affect industrial processes & projects.

Course Outline

• Introduction - the legal system
• Integration: Federal and Provincial Regulation
• Federal Legislation and Projects
• Chemicals Management
• Standards Development
• The Air Quality Management System
• The Multisector Air Pollutants Regulation
• Climate Change and Projects
• Environmental Assessment
• Air Monitoring protocols
• Environmental emergencies

Who Should Attend
Environmental Managers • Coordinators • Engineers • Scientists• Environmental Departments • Corporate/Project Managers • Directors & Officers • Facility Managers • Plant Superintendents• In-house counsel• Consultants • Regulatory Personnel• Municipal Personnel

Daily Schedule:
8:00 Registration & coffee (1st day only)
8:30 Session begins
12:00 Lunch
4:30 Adjournment

There will be one-hour lunch break each day in addition to a refreshment & networking break during each morning & afternoon session.

Day I

8:00 Registration and Coffee

8:20 Welcome, Introduction, Workshop Preview, Learning Outcomes, and Assessment Method

Part I: Project Assessment and Approvals

8:30 Introduction: The Legal System

• Constitutional law, division of powers for environmental matters
• Laws, regulations, codes, and guidelines
• Integration and harmonization

9:15 Federal Legislation - CEPA and its Regulations

• The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

10:15 Refreshments and Networking

10:30 Chemicals Management

• Toxic substances
• Reporting and the NPRI
• Risk assessment

11:15 Standards and Standards development - CAAQS

• Air standards process
• Federal and provincial standards
• Problems and pitfalls
• Application to Projects

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Regulation of Air Quality - the AQMS

• The air quality management system (AQMS)
• Air quality management zones
• Relation to project emissions levels
• BLIERS and implications

2:15 Refreshments and Networking

2:30 Multisector Air Pollutants Regulation (MSAPR)

• Regulation Parts 1, 2 and 3 - NOx
• Emissions testing
• Future developments

3:30 Implications for projects

• Harmonization with provincial regulation
• Implications of changes to project emissions control
• Management strategies

4:30 Adjournment

Day II

8:30 Environmental Assessment

• Applicable legislation - CEAA 2012 and Bill C69
• The Federal EA process and its relation with the provinces
• Key concepts and their management
• Assessment scenarios
• Technical aspects

10:00 Refreshments and Networking

10:15 Climate Change and Major Projects

• Climate and environmental assessment
• Dealing with GHGs
• Management planning
• Climate and project risks

11:00 Case studies in Environmental Assessment

• Sector specific case studies
• Problems and solutions

12:00 Lunch

1:00 EA Project Monitoring

• Conditions on projects
• Environmental protection planning
• Developing and implementing the monitoring protocol
• Fugitive emissions
• Case studies

2:15 Refreshments and Networking

2:30 Operational Issues

• Data gathering and data management
• Operational planning
• Special cases

3:15 Environmental emergencies (E2)

• The E2 regulation and triggers
• Incident risk assessment
• E2 planning

4:00 Concluding Remarks and Final Adjournment

Questions and Answers, Feedback on Achievement of Learning Outcomes