Permitting, Compliance Monitoring and Reporting

Prior to initiating or making changes for a project that may have environmental impacts, proponents are required to apply for and obtain the necessary regulatory approvals and authorizations, such as permits, licenses, notices of work, etc. This is to ensure that these activities are reviewed by technical experts, whereby assessments of potential impacts to the surrounding social and natural environments are evaluated and required mitigations/ conditions are thereby prescribed.

FROSKR can support the following permitting:

• Permits to Take Water
• Environmental Compliance Approvals (Air and Noise, Industrial Sewage Works, Waste Disposal Site, Waste Management Systems, etc.)
• Environmental Activity and Sector Registry
• Compliance and ISO Auditing

Going hand in hand with the application processes is the annual monitoring/sampling and reporting requirements, which are stipulated in the permits. Environmental monitoring is a broad term for the systematic sampling of water, soil, air, and plant and animal life. This service is key to all stages of the mining cycle and is used to establish baselines, trends and cumulative effects of projects. The determination of the required environmental monitoring is completed on a case-by-case basis, incorporating applicable regulations and client requirements. FROSKR understands the importance of timely submission of the reports to the regulatory bodies to ensure compliance.

Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder engagement strategies are fundamental to project life cycles. In order to build successful relationships with stakeholders, the journey must begin with open dialogue from the very beginning of project development. Understanding that it takes time to bridge differences and gain trust, engagement processes must be meaningful and transparent so that all input is considered in the decision-making process.

FROSKR is experienced in building relationships to foster open communications with various agencies including interested parties and government departments, Indigenous Communities, private entities, and broader public engagement strategies.

Environmental Baseline Studies

Environmental baseline studies document pre-project environmental conditions and are a key component in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Environmental baseline studies involve extensive investigation of the existing aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric environments within which a proposed undertaking intends to co-exist. FROSKR’s skill sets in baseline environmental assessments include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Hydrogeology / Hydrology
• Natural Sciences (Habitat and Species Studies)
• Groundwater, Surface Water and Soil Quality / Chemistry.

Environmental Site Assessments and Site Characterization Studies

An Environmental Site Assessment (ESA ) involves the study of a property to determine if contaminants are present and, if so, the location and concentration of these contaminants. The completion of an ESA helps our Clients get a better understanding of the environmental condition (I.e., soil, groundwater, surface water and air quality on-Site) of their property and how to manage them. The following are examples of ESA completed by FROSKR:

• Phase I and II ESA’s / Record of Site Conditions
• Site Characterization Studies
• Contaminant Management Plans
• Verification Sampling following storage tank removals.

Emergency Spill Response and Remediation Services

Whether you have an existing environmental issue on-site that has come to light or a new release of contaminants, FROSKR is here to help you navigate these issues. Timely and efficient response can reduce the overall cost of the cleanup, as well as reduce the overall environmental impact. Some examples of spills that FROSKR is prepared to help you manage, include, but are not limited to the following:

• Industrial / Commercial Spills (e.g., chemical releases)
• Transportation Spills (e.g., petroleum spills / tanker truck spills)
• Residential (e.g., oil tank spills).

FROSKRs experience in initial mitigation, remedial oversight and project management will ensure that the client’s goals are met in a timely manner and on budget.

In addition to providing Emergency Spill Response Consulting support, FROSKR is also well versed in the development of Emergency Response Plans and Spill and Prevention Control Plans.  Whether your company has pre-existing documents that may need to be updated or are looking for support in the development of these plans, FROSKR is here to help you achieve your goals and reduce the potential for releases to the environment.

Progressive Reclamation

Progressive reclamation is a widely accepted best management practice that we encourage our clients to complete. We prepare and execute Progressive Reclamation Plans for clients, with the aim of providing clients with the benefits associated with completing well planned and high-quality progressive reclamation on project sites, including:

• Reduction of environmental liability and risk
• Reduction or a return of Financial Assurances
• Positive effects with stakeholders
• Reduction in overall final decommissioning costs
• Reduction in closure capital costs (if completed as a regular operating cost during project execution)
• Reduced indirect costs (e.g., prevent increased staff and consultant time due to a reclamation failure).

Closure Planning and Financial Assurance

Closure planning at the beginning of a project is a key process within the mining cycle, with four important objectives that must be considered:

• Protecting of public health and safety
• Alleviating or eliminating environmental damage
• Achieving of a productive land use, or returning the round it to its original condition or an acceptable alternative
• Providing for sustainability of social and economic benefits, resulting from mine development and operations.

Our team’s experience in preparing Closure Plans, Financial Assurance estimates and Demolition Cost Estimates, makes us well suited to prepare or objectively review Closure Plan and Financial Assurance documents.

Air Quality and Dispersion Modelling Assessments

From simple combustion units and outdoor material handling operations, to metals processing plants and manufacturing facilities, FROSKR can support clients requiring air quality and dispersion modelling services including:

• Emissions inventories complimented by strong understanding of industrial processes
• Applications for Environmental Compliance Approvals and Site-Specific Standards, and regulatory correspondence through the review process
• Ongoing assessments to meet conditions in existing permits
• Assessments to support operational management of emissions sources
• Annual updates of Emission Summary and Dispersion Modelling Reports
• Design of new exhausts to meet air quality benchmarks
• Combined assessments of modelling and monitoring (CAMM) air quality data for refined emission rates.