Project Summary

Public Comments Invited

January 14, 2021 – The Canadian Coast Guard, Transport Canada, Fish and Fish Habitat Program and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority must decide whether the proposed Decommissioning and reconstruction of five Navigational Aids, located in the Lower Fraser River, British Columbia are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this decision The Canadian Coast Guard, Transport Canada, Fish and Fish Habitat Program and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority are 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 February 12, 2021 to:

Andrew Wight
25 Huron St, Victoria, BC. V8V 4V9
andrew.wight@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Based on an ongoing review process, the Canadian Coast Guard identifies locations where fixed aids to navigation are required to be constructed, maintained, modified, or relocated and seeks the assistance of qualified consultants and contractors in providing these services. This project area is within the Lower Fraser River at the southwest end of Annacis Is. The project proposes to remove and rebuild 2 navigational aids in the Fraser River and remove 1 abandoned aid  structure.  LL357 Purfleet Point Rear Range  and the abandoned site are based on the shore of Annacis Island and LL 356 Purfleet Front Range is in-water and the tower has fallen over.  Each Range site is currently a light and sign board attached to a skeleton tower. The towers are secured to concrete platforms that sit on nine creosote timber piles.  Before the current aid is decommissioned the new aid will be built adjacent to the current one.  The components of the new aids will each consist of a single hollow, steel, 42" pile (1.067mØ) with a 19.1 mm wall thickness. It will also consist of a ladder to the concrete platform,  concrete platform secured to the pile that will house the steel tower with sign board and light, battery box with batteries and solar panel,  and railings. The steel pile driving will be completed with a spudded  barge and crane and the use of a vibratory hammer, with the potential for utilizing an impact hammer if the conditions require it. The platform, ladder and navigation aid component (light unit and day marker) will be installed on the new steel dolphin piling and will require some minor welding of metal tabs. The abandoned site consist of  nine piles  and is on the shore of Annacis Is. An Environmental Protection Plan is being developed.

In-water  work will occur on the two dolphin pile sites using a crane barge (marine contractor) and tug boat, and a small CCG work vessel. The project proposes to remove all 27 creosote timber piles, placing Purfleet Front Range with 1 hollow steel pile and Purfleet Rear Range with 1 hollow steel pile. 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. If heavy machinery has to access the land and the sites cannot be reached from the barge protective matts will be placed down in the intertidal area. Pile extraction and installation will be completed according to CCG 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 platform, ladder and navigation aid component (light unit and day marker) will be installed on the new steel dolphin piling and will require some minor welding of metal tabs. The footprint of each site (nav-aid) will decrease. The CCG will be on the work barge during all pile driving and at completion of work. See attached files for site details. Work activities with the potential to adversely impact will follow DFO mitigation measures to prevent harm to fish and fish habitat. A request for review has been prepared and will be submitted to Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program (FFHPP) for Review as well as an application to the Vancouver Port Authority and project review through Front Counter BC for provincially protected species. An application has also been submitted to Transport Canada in regards to the Navigation Protection Program.  Spill response kits will be present at both shore and in-water work sites.

The project is estimated to start sometime between January 2021 and March 31 2021 with work period of 14 days.

The Purfleet Ranges are located in the Lower Fraser River of the Vancouver Regional District, New Westminster, Annacis Island, BC. The Front Range is located in the water at the southwest end of Annacis Island and the Abandoned site and the Rear Range site are located on the shore line on the southwest end of Annacis Island

Coordinates:

LL 356.0 Purfleet Range Front: 49° 09' 33.19"N, 122° 58' 52.19"W        

LL 357.0 Purfleet Range Rear: 49° 09' 36.04"N, 122° 58' 39.76"W        

Abandoned Site: Coordinates unknown - it is southwest of Purfleet Rear Range on the shore of Annacis Island.

Document Reference Number: 1

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