Golden Ears Bridge Project Environmental Studies Implementation

Client

TransLink

Location

British Columbia

Project Duration

March 2002 – Ongoing

Background

The Golden Ears Bridge is a six-lane bridge that spans the Fraser River, connecting Langley on the south side with Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge. Hatfield was responsible for coordinating the project’s application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate under the harmonized British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. The project was certified in August 2004 by both the BC and Canadian governments. The environmental team consisted of specialists in the fields of agriculture, air quality, archaeology, contaminated sites, fisheries and aquatic resources, noise, public health, socio-economic and socio-community, and wildlife, wildlife habitat and vegetation. As the environmental coordinator, responsibilities included participation in technical team and regulatory agency meetings as well as public, First Nations and stakeholder consultation. Hatfield also provided environmental coordination services to TransLink during the construction of the Golder Ears Bridge and associated new roadways between 2006 and 2010. Since 2010, we continue to provide environmental input with respect to operational, maintenance, and land-use issues associated with the Golden Ears Bridge project-related infrastructure.

Services Provided

Hatfield was the Environmental Coordinator of the multi-disciplinary environmental team assigned to carry out the environmental impact assessment studies required for the Project. Hatfield’s primary responsibilities included:

• Integrating environmental permitting/planning with overall project management; and
• Overseeing environmental assessments for various environmental specialist disciplines; environmental liaison with regulatory agencies, Indigenous groups, and other stakeholders; participation in the project’s public communication/ consultation program; and developing the various permit application.

Following certification, responsibilities included providing assistance to TransLink during the construction phase of the project from 2006 to 2010, and during the Operations, Maintenance and Rehabilitation (OMR) phase of the project from 2010 to the present.