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Investigations have been conducted periodically at the facility since 1997 in accordance with the Federal approach to contaminated sites and environmental site assessment industry standards. At no point to date has any immediate risk to human health or the environment been identified.
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In 2017, Transport Canada commissioned a Phase III Environmental Site Assessment and a Human Health Preliminary Quantitative Risk Assessment & Ecological Risk Assessment (Risk Assessment) for the facility. These assessments covered the uplands and waterlot owned by Transport Canada, a combined area of approximately 6 hectares. The Phase III Environmental Site Assessment and Risk Assessment were completed by a qualified environmental professional, with appropriate certifications, and following guidance published by Health Canada and the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan.
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The Risk Assessment was conducted to determine if human health and/or ecological risks exist as a result of exposure to pollutants in soil, sediment, and groundwater. The report also recommended next steps for risk mitigation. The land use was evaluated against commercial environmental standards and considered recreational activities such as fishing and swimming in the area. The study considered contaminants of potential concern, including hydrocarbons (PAHs and PHCs), and various metals (including arsenic, nickel, and chromium).
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The Risk Assessment concluded that the facility did not pose risks to human health from swimming, boat launching, ingestion of country foods (fish and wildlife), or recreational activities. This was primarily due to the levels of contamination being relatively low, and the small size of the facility relative to the habitat of the fish in Lake Athabasca which would limit uptake of contaminants present at the site.
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The Risk Assessment noted potential risk to humans from groundwater. Transport Canada viewed this risk as very low because groundwater is expected to flow south toward Lake Athabasca, which means groundwater from our facility would move toward the Lake rather than upstream wells. Additionally, there are no groundwater wells at the facility and there are no properties between the facility and Lake Athabasca. Transport Canada conducted a search of the Alberta Water Well Information Database which confirmed that there were no wells in the immediate vicinity of the facility.
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The Risk Assessment concluded that there were no likely adverse risks to wildlife. The study did note that a detailed quantitative aquatic risk assessment, including toxicity testing and/ or benthic community assessment, could be an option to evaluate whether contaminated sediments or groundwater has an effect on the aquatic ecosystem. The quantitative aquatic risk assessment was not pursued given the low level of risk identified in the Risk Assessment.
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Overall, the environmental site assessment and the Risk Assessment conducted in 2017 concluded that the contamination at the Fort Chipewyan Port Facility is not likely to pose any risks to human health or the environment. Currently, there is no information to suggest that this assessment is not still valid.