Project Summary

October 20, 2020 – The Canadian Coast Guard must decide whether the proposed Decommissioning and reconstruction of five Navigational Aids, located in Clam, BC is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this decision Canadian Coast Guard is inviting comments from the public on the project and its potential effects on the environment. All comments received will be considered public [and may be posted online]. For more information, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website.

Written comments must be submitted by November 18, 2020 to:

Steven Cole
25 Huron St, Victoria, BC. V8V 4V9
steven.cole@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The Canadian Coast Guard identifies locations where aids to navigation (nav-aids)  are required to be constructed or modified to better provide their service and to improve the safety to those who maintain them. The Project aligns with the CCG and Federal Infrastructure Initiative's goal of providing safe, economical, and efficient services for marine navigation and is critical for Canadian Coast Guard mandate of providing safe and accessible waterways.

It has come to the Canadian Coast Guard's attention that during some of the December 2018 storms several unlit Aids to Navigation (AtoN) have been severely damaged including the loss of one wooden creosote piling with a sign board in Clam Bay. 

The loss of this aid could result in a decrease in boater safety in the Clam Bay area. There are also four other marine aid pile sites in the area that are in poor condition requiring replacement. Canadian Coast Guard would like to replace these structures as soon as construction can be arranged as well as improve the damaged aid while work is scheduled. The project would involve in-water work activities including the extraction of old piling or remnants of old piling, installation (driving) of one new steel pile for each site, followed by the installation and upgrade to navigation marker components, and safety features (metal ladders, guard railings). One pile has fallen over and needs to be replaced. At the same time four other wooden creosote pile marine aids will be removed and replaced. All together seven piles will be extracted (including the remnant pile of the fallen aid and five new steel piles installed.

The in-water work activity for the five in-water nav-aids ( Clam Bay Sites) is to extract and replace the pilings (UL 5184, UL 5184.2, UL 5184.4, UL 5184.6, UL 5184.7)  This work is expected to occur during the Winter season. The project's construction schedule will be between December 2020 and March 2021 for the five sites and should take a total of 4 weeks to complete.

In-water  work will occur on the dolphin pile sites using a crane barge (marine contractor) and tug, and a small Canadian Coast Guard work vessel. The project proposes to remove approximately seven wooden creosote timber piles and install five new steel pilings (one for each site). The barge will function as the project's work platform and for containment of equipment, material and any wastes. All wastes will be removed from the work site and disposed of at a licensed facility. Pile extraction and installation will be completed according to Canadian Coast Guard construction drawings using a spudded or anchored barge crane and the use of a vibratory hammer, with the potential for utilizing an impact hammer if the conditions require it. The ladder and navigation aid component (day marker) will be installed on the new steel dolphin piling and will require some minor welding of metal tabs. The Canadian Coast Guard will be on the work barge during all pile driving and at completion of work.

The sites are located within Clam Bay between Thetis and Penelakut Islands on the East Coast of Southern Vancouver Island

Coordinates:

48° 59' 06.00"

-123° 39' 11.00"

48° 59' 07.01"

-123° 39' 11.00"

48° 59' 06.00"

-123° 39' 21.50"

48° 59' 03.98"

-123° 39' 40.00"

48° 58' 54.98"

-123° 40' 05.00"

Document Reference Number: 1

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