Vol. 133, No. 40 — October 2, 1999

GOVERNMENT NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the provisions of Part VI of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, Permit No. 4543-2-06025 is approved.

1. Permittee: Canaport Ltd., Saint John, New Brunswick.

2. Type of Permit: To dump and load dredged material.

3. Term of Permit: Permit is valid from October 4, 1999, to October 3, 2000.

4. Loading Site(s): 45°17.31' N, 66°02.23' W, Courtenay Bay, Irving Terminals 1, 2, and 3, and turning basin as described by the drawing "Figure 3 Maintenance Dredging Plan (99/07/22)" submitted in support of the permit application.

5. Dump Site(s): Black Point, 45°12.45' N, 66°00.97' W (NAD83).

6. Route to Dump Site(s): Within the designated shipping channel and from the seaward end of the shipping channel directly to the disposal sites. Project vessels shall return from the disposal sites by the same route.

7. Equipment: Clamshell dredge and towed or self-propelled barges.

8. Method of Dumping: Dumping shall take place within 200 m of the dump site marker buoy.

9. Rate of Dumping: As required by normal operations.

10. Total Quantity to Be Dumped: Not to exceed 43 000 m³ scow measure.

11. Material to Be Dumped: Dredged material consisting predominantly of silt and clay.

12. Requirements and Restrictions:

12.1. It is required that the Permittee notify in writing, by facsimile or electronic mail, Mr. Adrian MacDonald, Environmental Protection Branch, Department of the Environment, Atlantic Region, Queen Square, 16th Floor, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 2N6, (902) 490-0734 (Facsimile), adrian. macdonald@ec.gc.ca (Electronic mail), at least 48 hours prior to each occasion that dredging equipment is mobilized to the loading site. The notification shall include the equipment to be used, contractor, contact for the contractor, and expected period of dredging.

12.2. A written report shall be submitted Mr. Adrian MacDonald, identified in 12.1., within 30 days of either the completion of the work or the expiry of the permit, whichever comes first. This report shall contain the following information: the quantity of material disposed of and the dates on which the loading and dumping activities occurred.

12.3. The fee prescribed by the Ocean Dumping Permit Fee Regulations (Site Monitoring) shall be paid by the Permittee in accordance with that regulation. Proof of payment of the remaining balance of $10,105 shall be submitted to Mr. Adrian MacDonald, identified in 12.1., prior to April 4, 2000.

12.4. Procedures to accurately measure or estimate quantities of dredged material disposed of at each dump site shall be submitted to Mr. Adrian MacDonald, identified in 12.1. The procedures shall be approved by the Department of the Environment prior to the commencement of the first dredging operation to be conducted under this permit.

12.5. It is required that the Permittee admit any inspector designated pursuant to subsection 99(1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to any place, ship, aircraft, platform or anthropogenic structure directly related to the loading or ocean dumping referred to under this permit, at any reasonable time throughout the duration of this permit.

12.6. The Permittee shall notify in writing Mr. Brian Keating, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, P.O. Box 281, Sussex, New Brunswick E0E 1P0, (506) 432-5081 (Facsimile), at least 48 hours prior to the commencement of the first loading operation to be conducted under this permit.

12.7. The Permittee shall notify the Fundy Traffic Centre, (506) 636-4696, prior to the commencement of the first dredging operation to be conducted under this permit.

12.8. A Vessel Tracking Plan designed to electronically monitor vessel traffic to and from the dump sites shall be submitted to Mr. Adrian MacDonald, identified in 12.1. The plan shall be approved by the Department of the Environment prior to the commencement of the first loading operation to be conducted under this permit.

12.9. The Permittee shall ensure that precautions are taken to prevent releases of hazardous materials from dredging and dumping equipment and that a contingency plan in case of spills is prepared prior to dredging.

12.10. The loading and dumping of dredged materials authorized by this permit are restricted to the following time periods: October 4 to November 8, 1999; January 16 to April 14, 2000; and July 1 to October 3, 2000.

12.11. A copy of this permit and documents referenced in this permit shall be available on-site at all times when dredging operations are underway.

12.12. The dredging and ocean dumping authorized by this permit shall only be carried out by the Permittee or with written approval from the Permittee.

K. G. HAMILTON
Environmental Protection
Atlantic Region

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DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT

Notice Concerning the Assessment of the Priority Substance 1,3-Butadiene

Priority Substances Assessment Program

Under the Priority Substances List provisions of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health are required to develop a list of substances that should be given priority for assessment to determine whether they are "toxic" or capable of becoming toxic as defined under section 11 of the Act. The responsibility for assessing priority substances is shared by Environment Canada and Health Canada. The purpose of the assessments is to determine if a substance is entering or may enter the environment in a quantity or concentration under conditions: (a) having or that may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment; or (b) constituting or that may constitute a danger to the environment on which human life depends; or (c) constituting or that may constitute a danger in Canada to human life or health. Determining a substance to be CEPA "toxic" is therefore a function of its presence in the environment, the resulting exposure, and its inherent toxicity.

Draft Priority Substance Assessment Report for 1,3-Butadiene

Available scientific information covering the physical and chemical properties, environmental entry, fate, exposure and toxicity of 1,3-butadiene has been reviewed. A draft report assessing whether or not 1,3-butadiene is "toxic" or is capable of becoming toxic as defined in section 11 of CEPA has been prepared. The draft Assessment Report for 1,3-butadiene may be obtained from the Priority Substances List Public Comment Web Page (www.ec.gc.ca/cceb1/eng/public/index_e.html) or from the Inquiry Centre, Environment Canada, Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3 (1-800-668-6767).

Draft Assessment Report Summary for 1,3-Butadiene

1,3-Butadiene is a product of incomplete combustion resulting from natural processes and human activity. It is also an industrial chemical used primarily in the production of polymers, including polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubbers and lattices, and nitrile-butadiene rubbers. 1,3-Butadiene enters the Canadian environment from exhaust emissions from gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles, from non-transportation fuel combustion, from biomass combustion and from industrial on-site uses. The total amount of 1,3-butadiene entering the Canadian environment was estimated to range from 13 000 to 42 000 tonnes in 1994, mostly into air.

While 1,3-butadiene is not persistent, it is ubiquitous in the urban environment because of its widespread combustion sources. The highest atmospheric concentrations have been measured in air in cities and close to an industrial source. Given its sources of entry into the environment, its environmental fate and concentrations measured in Canada, the environmental assessment focussed on assessing the potential risks to aquatic life, terrestrial plants, terrestrial wildlife and soil invertebrates. The potential risks were assessed assuming worst-case, hyperconservative conditions. Analyses indicate that environmental biota are unlikely to be at risk even under such conditions.

Because of its non-halogenated nature and low environmental concentrations, 1,3-butadiene is not associated with stratospheric ozone depletion or with climate change. 1,3-Butadiene is a contributor to the formation of ground-level ozone and resulting smog formation.

The general population in Canada is exposed to 1,3-butadiene primarily through ambient and indoor air. Inhaled 1,3-butadiene is carcinogenic in both mice and rats, inducing tumours at multiple sites at all concentrations tested in all identified studies. In addition, 1,3-butadiene is genotoxic in both somatic and germ cells of rodents. The greater sensitivity in mice than in rats to induction of these effects by 1,3-butadiene is likely related to species differences in metabolism to active epoxide metabolites. Exposure to 1,3-butadiene in the occupational environment has been associated with the induction of leukemia; there is also some limited evidence that 1,3-butadiene is genotoxic in exposed workers. Therefore, in view of the weight of evidence of available epidemiological and toxicological data, 1,3-butadiene is considered highly likely to be carcinogenic in humans; it is also considered likely to be genotoxic in humans. 1,3-Butadiene also induced adverse effects in the reproductive organs of female mice at relatively low concentrations.

Based on these considerations, it is concluded that 1,3-butadiene is not entering the Canadian environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions having or that may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment. However, it is considered to be entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions constituting or that may constitute a danger to the environment on which human life depends and a danger in Canada to human life or health. Therefore, it is proposed that 1,3-butadiene be considered "toxic" under section 11 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).

1,3-Butadiene may contribute, along with other reactive volatile organic chemicals, to the photochemical formation of ground-level ozone. It is recommended that key sources of 1,3-butadiene be addressed, therefore, as part of management plans for volatile organic chemicals that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone.

Based on comparison of estimates of exposure for the general population with the tumorigenic potency, the priority to investigate options to reduce exposure to 1,3-butadiene in ambient air both in the vicinity of the identified point sources and from more dispersive non-point sources (identified herein primarily as transportation) is considered to be high. Investigation of concentrations and potential sources of 1,3-butadiene in indoor air may also be warranted.

Public Comment Period

Environment Canada and Health Canada are offering interested parties the opportunity to comment on the draft Priority Substances Assessment Reports. Any person may file, in writing, a submission within 60 days of publication of this notice presenting scientific evidence disagreeing with or supporting the assessments and the proposed conclusions presented in the draft Assessment Report for 1,3-butadiene. Submissions made in this regard, or any inquiries on this notice, may be sent to the attention of the PSL Assessment Program, Commercial Chemicals Evaluation Branch, Department of the Environment, Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3, (819) 953-4936 (Facsimile) or by electronic mail to the PSL Webmaster, PSL.LSIP@ec.gc.ca.

Comments will not be responded to individually. All comments received will be considered, and the Assessment Report will be revised as necessary. Comments received after the comment period has ended will not be considered. A brief summary of public comments for each draft Assessment Report may be published on the Web page following the closure of the public comment period for each report. Please note that all submitted comments will become a matter of public record and may be cited, with attribution to the author, by the Government of Canada.

J. A. BUCCINI
Director
Commercial Chemicals
Evaluation Branch

On behalf of the Minister of the Environment

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OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

BASIC RATE

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with subsection 25(7) of the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, 1985, the Superintendent of Financial Institutions sets the basic rate, established pursuant to subsection 25(5) of the said Regulations, at $12.00 for the Office year beginning on April 1, 2000. In accordance with subsection 25(6) of the said Regulations, this rate applies to plans with a year end between October 1, 1999, and September 30, 2000.

October 2, 1999

RON BERGERON
Senior Director

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