Environmental & Regional Considerations

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Existing Environment

The Elk Valley is within the East Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. The economy and local livelihoods are closely tied to the region’s environment and natural resources, including tourism, outdoor recreation, and natural resource development.

Coal has been mined in the Elk Valley since the late 1890s, with developments such as the Fording River Operations commencing in the last 50 years. Mining and other activity—including forestry, urban and rural development, transportation infrastructure, agriculture and more—have resulted in changes to the biophysical and human environment in the area.

The Fording River Extension (FRX) Project would be located immediately adjacent to Teck’s Fording River Operations. FRX is located upstream of Josephine Falls; streams and creeks in the area flow towards the Fording River.

The Project area includes forested habitat interspersed with non-forested ecosystems such as grasslands and avalanche paths. Some of these ecosystems have been previously disturbed by exploration and forestry activities. A coordinated assessment will provide a comprehensive evaluation of the potential effects of the Project, including identification of related mitigation and management measures. Visit the Coordinated Assessment Process page to learn more about Teck’s work with the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.

Click to enlarge image

Baseline Studies for the Fording River Extension Project

As the FRX Project prepares for the coordinated assessment, it is important to have a strong understanding of the current state of the environment; this is accomplished through baseline studies. Baseline study programs for the Project began in 2018 and will continue through 2022. Baseline studies for the Project build on many years of knowledge from Fording River Operations. These studies, along with Indigenous Knowledge and input from communities, provide a foundation for the prediction of environmental effects, and a reference to monitor future changes.

Baseline information compiled from existing studies and collected through ongoing baseline study programs will be documented through the coordinated assessment process in an existing conditions report. The existing conditions reports will form an important component of the coordinated assessment for the Project, providing context and a basis for assessing potential effects of the Project.

Further detail about baseline studies and potential environmental and social effects of FRX will be the subject of future engagement through the coordinated provincial and federal assessment process.


Regional Considerations

Teck is committed to working to address regional environmental issues and we are adapting our practices to reduce the effects of current and future mining.

Planning and design of the FRX Project will include plans to minimize environmental effects. These efforts will also be aligned with regional initiatives involving Indigenous peoples, regulators and other partners.


Elk Valley Water Quality Plan

Teck has been taking action for years to protect and improve water quality through the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan (the Plan). The Plan was developed in cooperation with governments in Canada and the United States, Indigenous groups, communities, independent scientific experts and others, and was approved by the B.C. Government in 2014. The Plan sets water quality targets to protect aquatic and human health. It outlines the water treatment and mitigation measures to achieve those targets and sets out how we’ll monitor water quality. Click here to learn more.



Learn more about Teck's sustainable action in the Elk Valley


Carbon Neutrality

Steelmaking coal is an essential ingredient in the production of steel, which will be used to build the infrastructure required to transition to a low-carbon economy. Our steelmaking coal operations are low greenhouse gas (GHG)-intensity producers, ranking in the second quartile globally. All our steelmaking coal mines are covered by carbon pricing. As steel producers look to reduce the GHG emissions intensity of their production and potentially begin to face rising carbon prices, Teck’s steelmaking coal will be a preferred product.

As part of Teck’s Sustainability Strategy, Teck has goals to reduce carbon intensity across operations by 33% by 2030 and be a carbon-neutral operator by 2050.

The FRX Project will meet all emissions and GHG regulations and requirements, and align with Teck’s commitment to carbon neutrality. Click here to learn more about Teck’s approach to taking action on climate change.


Reclamation

The goal of mine reclamation is to establish sustainable, diverse and functional landscapes that put reclaimed areas on an ecological trajectory toward pre-existing ecosystem conditions.

At the existing Fording River Operations, the reclamation plan describes how disturbed areas will be progressively reclaimed as they become available (i.e., when it is safe and once there is no future mining or other planned re-disturbance in the area). Reclamation plans are achieved through a process of decommissioning infrastructure, recontouring the landscape, revegetating based on land use objectives, and monitoring for necessary adaptations and success. Click here to learn more.



Existing Environment

The Elk Valley is within the East Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. The economy and local livelihoods are closely tied to the region’s environment and natural resources, including tourism, outdoor recreation, and natural resource development.

Coal has been mined in the Elk Valley since the late 1890s, with developments such as the Fording River Operations commencing in the last 50 years. Mining and other activity—including forestry, urban and rural development, transportation infrastructure, agriculture and more—have resulted in changes to the biophysical and human environment in the area.

The Fording River Extension (FRX) Project would be located immediately adjacent to Teck’s Fording River Operations. FRX is located upstream of Josephine Falls; streams and creeks in the area flow towards the Fording River.

The Project area includes forested habitat interspersed with non-forested ecosystems such as grasslands and avalanche paths. Some of these ecosystems have been previously disturbed by exploration and forestry activities. A coordinated assessment will provide a comprehensive evaluation of the potential effects of the Project, including identification of related mitigation and management measures. Visit the Coordinated Assessment Process page to learn more about Teck’s work with the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.

Click to enlarge image

Baseline Studies for the Fording River Extension Project

As the FRX Project prepares for the coordinated assessment, it is important to have a strong understanding of the current state of the environment; this is accomplished through baseline studies. Baseline study programs for the Project began in 2018 and will continue through 2022. Baseline studies for the Project build on many years of knowledge from Fording River Operations. These studies, along with Indigenous Knowledge and input from communities, provide a foundation for the prediction of environmental effects, and a reference to monitor future changes.

Baseline information compiled from existing studies and collected through ongoing baseline study programs will be documented through the coordinated assessment process in an existing conditions report. The existing conditions reports will form an important component of the coordinated assessment for the Project, providing context and a basis for assessing potential effects of the Project.

Further detail about baseline studies and potential environmental and social effects of FRX will be the subject of future engagement through the coordinated provincial and federal assessment process.


Regional Considerations

Teck is committed to working to address regional environmental issues and we are adapting our practices to reduce the effects of current and future mining.

Planning and design of the FRX Project will include plans to minimize environmental effects. These efforts will also be aligned with regional initiatives involving Indigenous peoples, regulators and other partners.


Elk Valley Water Quality Plan

Teck has been taking action for years to protect and improve water quality through the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan (the Plan). The Plan was developed in cooperation with governments in Canada and the United States, Indigenous groups, communities, independent scientific experts and others, and was approved by the B.C. Government in 2014. The Plan sets water quality targets to protect aquatic and human health. It outlines the water treatment and mitigation measures to achieve those targets and sets out how we’ll monitor water quality. Click here to learn more.



Learn more about Teck's sustainable action in the Elk Valley


Carbon Neutrality

Steelmaking coal is an essential ingredient in the production of steel, which will be used to build the infrastructure required to transition to a low-carbon economy. Our steelmaking coal operations are low greenhouse gas (GHG)-intensity producers, ranking in the second quartile globally. All our steelmaking coal mines are covered by carbon pricing. As steel producers look to reduce the GHG emissions intensity of their production and potentially begin to face rising carbon prices, Teck’s steelmaking coal will be a preferred product.

As part of Teck’s Sustainability Strategy, Teck has goals to reduce carbon intensity across operations by 33% by 2030 and be a carbon-neutral operator by 2050.

The FRX Project will meet all emissions and GHG regulations and requirements, and align with Teck’s commitment to carbon neutrality. Click here to learn more about Teck’s approach to taking action on climate change.


Reclamation

The goal of mine reclamation is to establish sustainable, diverse and functional landscapes that put reclaimed areas on an ecological trajectory toward pre-existing ecosystem conditions.

At the existing Fording River Operations, the reclamation plan describes how disturbed areas will be progressively reclaimed as they become available (i.e., when it is safe and once there is no future mining or other planned re-disturbance in the area). Reclamation plans are achieved through a process of decommissioning infrastructure, recontouring the landscape, revegetating based on land use objectives, and monitoring for necessary adaptations and success. Click here to learn more.