Site C Clean Energy Project
Rare Plant Studies, Mitigation Planning
Botanists from Eagle Cap Consulting conducted rare plant investigations for a proposed B.C. Hydro dam and generating facility on the Peace River near Fort Saint John. The work consisted of multiyear rare plant and vegetation studies within the 86,000 hectare analysis area. Eagle Cap also provided expert witness testimony before the federal Joint Review Panel evaluating the proposal. The firm continues to work on the project, and is currently implementing mitigation measures during the construction phase
Base Mine Lake Reclamation Project
Vegetation Classification
This project involved vegetation investigations to classify existing plant communities for an end-pit reclamation project at the Syncrude facility near Fort McMurray, Alberta. Botanists from Eagle Cap Consulting conducted field studies to characterize vegetation at Syncrude’s Base Mine Lake, the oilsands industry’s first commercial demonstration of water capping reclamation technology.
Sundance & Taylor Wind Power Projects
Rare Plant Studies
This project involved rare plant investigations for two proposed wind power projects in Northeast B.C. Prefield GIS analysis was conducted to identify habitats with the highest potential for rare plant occurrence. Subsequent floristic rare plant surveys were conducted in a variety of forested and open habitats. Follow-up analysis predicted the likely project effects on rare plant resources.
Christina Lake Regional Oil Sands Project
Pre-disturbance Assessments
Botanists from Eagle Cap performed pre-disturbance assessments (PDAs) at MEG Energy’s Christina Lake Regional Project in the southern Athabasca oil sands region. The studies involved using ecological land classification procedures to describe vegetation and soils, and document rare plants, noxious weeds, and tracked ecological communities.
Mount Polley Mine Tailings Breach
Post-event Impact Assessment
Eagle Cap assisted with the impact assessment following the breach of the tailings pond dam at the Mt. Polley Mine in central British Columbia. The work involved using data from a variety of current and historical sources to estimate the impact of the breach on pre-existing vegetation resources at the site. New techniques had to be developed to compensate for the lack of pre-event baseline data in the area affected by the tailings outflow.
Red Mountain Mine Project
Rare Plant and Vegetation Studies
Eagle Cap botanists performed rare plant and vegetation surveys for a proposed gold and silver mine near Stewart, B.C. The proposed mine site, located in alpine and subalpine habitat near the Alaskan border, was searched for listed plant species. In addition, terrestrial ecosystems were investigated and described.
Stateline Wind Power Project
Impact Assessment and Mitigation
Eagle Cap conducted rare plant studies, wetland delineations, revegetation planning, and environmental monitoring for the Stateline Wind Power Project on the Oregon-Washington border. The Stateline project is one of the largest wind farms in the US, containing 484 turbines. The firm was involved for over 10 years with this project, from the early planning stages, through the permitting process, and into the final mitigation and environmental monitoring phases.
Burnt River Landscape Unit
Rare Plant and Vegetation Study
Botanists from Eagle Cap conducted rare plant investigations on a 960-square-kilometre timber management unit in the northern Rocky Mountains of British Columbia. This project involved targeted field surveys for rare plant species in representative habitats within the Burnt River Landscape Unit near Chetwynd, B.C.
Boundary Bay Dike Upgrade Project
Revegetation and Noxious Weed Monitoring
This work involved vegetation monitoring and noxious weed surveying along an upgraded section of the Boundary Bay Dike in Delta, British Columbia near Vancouver. Eagle Cap designed the monitoring protocol based on Ministry of Enviroment requirements, and carried out the vegetation analysis and surveys at the site.
Harper Creek Mine
Rare Plant Impact Assessment
This project involved rare plant surveys, effects assessment, and mitigation planning for a proposed copper/gold/silver mine near Clearwater, British Columbia. The Harper Creek project area covers approximately 16 square kilometres of subalpine plateau in South-Central B.C. near the town of Vavenby. Botanists from Eagle Cap conducted rare plant surveys within the proposed project footprint, compiled and interpreted occurrence data from previous studies, developed and implemented an impact assessment methodology for the project, and prepared mitigation measures for the rare plant ecosystem component.
Upper Colonarie Watershed
Floristic and Rare Plant Study
Eagle Cap conducted floristic and rare plant investigations for a proposed United Nations Biosphere Reserve on the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean. The Upper Colonarie Watershed is a 1,500 hectare area of primary rain forest, palm brake, and elfin woodland on the windward side of the island of St. Vincent in the Lesser Antilles. Botanists conducted field surveys to describe and classify the understory plant species as part of a proposal to protect the watershed under the United Nations Biosphere Reserve Program.
Snake River Hydroelectric Facility
Botanical Studies
This project consisted of a multiyear floristic and vegetative study for an existing hydroelectric project along the Snake River in Idaho. Field crews sampled vegetation along 305 upland and riparian line transects within the 4,900 hectare study area. The plots were then statistically grouped into plant assemblages using Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN). Additional field crews performed extensive rare plant and noxious weed floristic surveys throughout the project area. Multiple logistic regression analysis was then used to correlate target species presence with a number of disturbance and environmental factors.
Alliance Pipeline
Rare Plant and Vegetation Studies
Eagle Cap conducted preconstruction rare plant surveys and vegetation mapping for certain Alberta portions of the 1,700-kilometre-long Alliance natural gas pipeline. Botanists from the firm performed pedestrian transect surveys for rare plant species within the Alliance pipeline right-of-way near Fox Creek, Alberta. Individual populations were classified and described, and general associated vegetation types were mapped.
Mountain Home Generation Facility
Impact Assessment
This study involved a rare plant survey and slickspot peppergrass (Lepidium papilliferum) habitat evaluation for a proposed gas fired power plant and transmission line corridor near Mountain Home, Idaho. In addition to a thorough rare plant survey of all ground within the proposed right-of-way, this project involved the development and implementation of a habitat quality assessment protocol, designed to determine the potential for slickspot peppergrass occurrence in apparently unoccupied habitat (slickspot peppergrass is listed as ‘Threatened’ under the US Endangered Species Act).
Hells Canyon Hydroelectric Complex
Road Impact Study
This project was a comprehensive study of road impacts on botanical and wildlife species of concern within a 3,500-square-kilometre basin along the Snake River on the Oregon-Idaho border. The study was part of the relicensing effort for a 1,100 megawatt multi-dam hydroelectric complex. Eagle Cap designed the study methodology, compiled literature and other existing data, designed and implemented GIS modelling techniques to analyze road impacts, and prepared the peer-reviewed report describing methods, results, and conclusions.
Homedale Radio Tower
Environmental Assessment Preparation
Eagle Cap conducted an Environmental Assessment for a radio tower/powerline project on US Bureau of Land Management land in Idaho. This project involved all aspects of the impact assessment process, from initial scoping to final mitigation. The assessment evaluated impacts of the proposed radio tower on a variety of natural resources (including botanical, archaeological, recreational, range, wildlife, and water quality). Eagle Cap Consulting coordinated all project communications between the various affected agencies, acting as a liaison between the proponent and the government.
230kV Transmission Line
Botanical, Wildlife, Archaeological Studies
This project consisted of multiyear impact assessment studies for a proposed 83-kilometre-long electrical transmission line in Southern Idaho. Eagle Cap recruited and coordinated all staff and subconsultants for the studies, which evaluated potential project impacts on botanical, wildlife, and archaeological resources. The firm also coordinated environmental mitigation monitoring for these resources during the construction phase of the project. The final peer-reviewed technical reports were submitted to the relevant federal and state agencies as part of the permit application.
Five Alberta Wind Farms
Environmental Review & Constraints Mapping
Eagle Cap conducted environmental reviews and performed constraints mapping for five proposed wind farms in Southern Alberta. Spatial and non-spatial biophysical information was compiled into a central database and then analyzed to determine possible project effects on a number of valued environmental components. Multi-criteria constraints mapping was used to suggest optimal turbine and facilities layout. All analyses were conducted based on updated wildlife directives and guidelines issued by Alberta Environment and Parks and the Canadian Wildlife Service.