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Management

Middle Sand Hills (Suffield) Management 

“The military, grazing interests, and the oil and gas industry are a potent combination of human users that have not only placed their inexorable stamp on the landscape, but have created a labyrinthine management regime that defies easy comprehension. Regulations and agreements play out against a backdrop of history and politics.”
Dr. Shirley Bray, (WLA, December 2006, Vol. 14, No.6)

 

Relevant Acronyms

  • AEC: Alberta Energy Company Ltd.
  • CEAA: Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
  • CFB: Canadian Forces Base
  • DGE: Director General of Environment
  • DND: Department of National Defence
  • EA: Environment Assessment
  • EUB: Energy Utilities Board
  • GAC: Grazing Advisory Committee
  • GIS: Geographic Information System
  • LWD: Land-spraying while drilling
  • MOA: Memorandum of Agreement
  • MOU: Memorandum of Understanding
  • PAA: Partial Assignment Agreement
  • PFRA: Prairie Farm Rehabilitation
  • SAA: Surface Access Agreement
  • SEAC: Suffield Environmental Advisory Committee
  • SIRC: Suffield Industry Range Control
  • SNWA: CFB Suffield National Wildlife Area

Details

  • Government: Canada’s title to CFB Suffield does not include minerals. The province of Alberta owns these.
  • DND: The Suffield National Wildlife Area (NWA) is under the administrative authority and ownership of Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND), subject to a delegation of authority from the Minister of the Environment to the Minister of National Defence.
  • CFB Suffield Base Commander: The Base Commander is responsible for all activities on CFB Suffield, ultimately reporting to the DND Minister.
  • Province of Alberta: Under the 1975 and 1977 Memoranda of Agreement, the Province of Alberta must pay for the cost of range control: specifically, two radio-equipped vehicles and personnel needed to coordinate industry and military activities.
  • SEAC: The 1975 Memorandum of Agreement established the Suffield Environmental Advisory Committee (SEAC), which comprised one representative each from Environment Canada, Alberta Environment, and the Energy Resources Conservation Board (later the Energy and Utilities Board). SEAC was charged with reporting annually on its activities to Canada, Alberta, and the Base Commander, and with providing advice when requested. The Base Commander retained final authority for project approvals. Since 1975, SEAC has conducted annual inspections of petroleum industry activities and programs on the Base and advised the Base Commander on environmental protection requirements.
  • SIRC: The Suffield Industry Range Control (SIRC) was created to function as the liaison between industry and the Base Commander. SIRC operates under a private company with head office in Calgary. Its operations are funded by the operators – companies with mineral rights on the base. Operators are billed annually based on the percent of the total assets which they own.
    • SIRC was authorized by the Partial Assignment Agreement (June 1 1999) and was charged with controlling and directing industry access on CFB Suffield. However, in October 2007, AWA was informed that SIRC was no longer controlling access on the Base.
    • Until 2004 SIRC oversaw environmental review (if any) and mitigation plans (if any) for proposed projects. In 2004 the Base Commander started requesting environmental overviews of proposed projects and began exercising more authority over approving projects.
    • SIRC meets with the Base Commander and the CFB Suffield Environmental Advisory Committee (SEAC) once a year at the same meeting. At this meeting SIRC submits general operational plans (Annual Activity Plan) for the next year. The Base Commander may approve in principle or not.
    • According to SIRC, SEAC is the appropriate authority to ensure environmental protection at the Base. The Base Commander may only give or refuse approval of any activity, upon the recommendation of SEAC.
    • SIRC forwards industry applications to SEAC and G3, the military body responsible for Operations and Training, at the Suffield Base. The Energy Utilities Board reviews applications to ensure they meet EUB operational guidelines. Alberta Environment reviews applications, but does not have authority on federal land.
  • GAC: The Grazing Advisory Committee (GAC) comprises representatives from Canadian Wildlife Service, Agriculture Canada, Alberta Public Lands, and Alberta Environment. The GAC guides grazing management on the PRFA pastures with objectives to maintain the ecological integrity of the grasslands while providing supplementary grazing for local ranchers. The GAC meets annually and makes recommendations as needed to the PFRA pastures manager and the Base Commander.
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