The BC Energy Regulator has completed the 2021 annual update to Area-based Analysis. These changes will come into effect on June 1, 2021.
ISSUE DATE: June 1, 2021
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 1, 2021
The BC Energy Regulator (Regulator) has completed the 2021 annual update to Area-based Analysis (ABA). These changes will come into effect on June 1, 2021.
ABA is an operational program used to support decision making at the Regulator. Since 2015, ABA has monitored changes in surface land on a yearly basis as an indicator of potential cumulative effect risk in the northeast. ABA includes annual updates to riparian reserve zones, old forests, wildlife areas and old growth management areas.
Updated ABA status information will be available on June 1 in the online reports. Spatial data and maps will be available for download from the Regulator’s Data Center and ABA website. Additional information regarding ABA can be found in Supplementary Information for Area-based Analysis and in Area-Based Analysis Frequently Asked Questions.
Below is an update on the status of riparian reserve zones, old growth management areas, old forest, and wildlife areas for 2021. For detailed information, see the appendix at the end of this bulletin.
Riparian Reserve Zones:
As of June 1, 2021, 46 water management basins are normal, 21 are enhanced management and two are regulatory policy.
Old Growth Management Areas (OGMA):
There is no significant change to OGMA. Current analysis shows 193 OGMA are status normal and 47 are regulatory policy.
Old Forest:
This year’s assessment included a full update of baseline old forest from the vegetation resource inventory. There has been an increase in ‘old forest’ in the Boreal Plains natural disturbance unit, as forest cover has reached an age class representative of old forest age as defined by the Province. There is no change to ABA old forest status, with Boreal Plains, Northern Boreal Mountains and Boreal Foothills, remaining ABA status normal, and Omineca, Wet Mountains and Wet Trench remaining enhanced management.
Wildlife Areas:
ABA wildlife values remain unchanged this year, with no new Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) or Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHA) established in the Peace Region in 2020. New oil and gas activity has been minimal in wildlife habitat areas and ungulate winter range over the past year. Current analysis shows 323 wildlife areas are status normal, 20 are enhanced management, and 48 are regulatory policy.
If you have any questions regarding this Industry Bulletin, please contact:
Dean Zimmer
Executive Director, Permitting and Applications
BC Energy Regulator
Dean.Zimmer@bcogc.ca
250 794-5278
Jacqueline Howard
Environmental Specialist
BC Energy Regulator
Jacqueline.Howard@bcogc.ca
250-419-4496
Appendix: ABA Status - 2021
ABA Riparian Reserves
Enhanced Management |
Regulatory Policy |
||
Blueberry River |
Lower Fort Nelson R. |
Middle Beatton River |
Pouce Coupe |
Cache Creek |
Lower Halfway River |
Middle Fort Nelson R. |
Upper Peace River |
Cameron River |
Lower Kiskatinaw River |
Milligan Creek |
|
Chinchaga River |
Lower Muskwa River |
Moberly River |
|
Doig River |
Lower Peace River |
Murray River |
|
Kyklo River |
Lower Pine River |
Sukunka River |
|
Lower Beatton Riv. |
Lynx Creek |
Upper Pine River |
ABA Wildlife Areas
Enhanced Management |
Regulatory Policy |
|||
9-047 |
u-7-005_E-001 |
9-033 |
9-116 |
9-138 |
9-052 |
u-9-001_SPE-002 |
9-034 |
9-118 |
9-139 |
9-058 |
u-9-001_SPE-013 |
9-049 |
9-119 |
9-140 |
9-066 |
u-9-001_SPE-015 |
9-060 |
9-120 |
9-142 |
9-097 |
u-9-001_SPE-023 |
9-063 |
9-122 |
9-143 |
9-105 |
u-9-002_SPC-018 |
9-067 |
9-123 |
9-144 |
9-117 |
u-9-002_SPC-047 |
9-070 |
9-124 |
u-7-005_E-002 |
9-121 |
u-9-004_GR-009 |
9-073 |
9-126 |
u-7-006_S-008 |
9-125 |
9-099 |
9-127 |
u-9-002_SPC-001 |
|
9-134 |
9-100 |
9-128 |
u-9-002_SPC-009 |
|
9-135 |
9-104 |
9-129 |
u-9-002_SPC-017 |
|
9-141 |
9-109 |
9-130 |
u-9-004_GR-007 |
|
9-110 |
9-131 |
u-9-004_GR-017 |
||
9-111 |
9-132 |
u-9-004_GR-024 |
||
9-112 |
9-133 |
|||
9-113 |
9-136 |
|||
9-115 |
9-137 |
ABA Old Growth Management Areas
Regulatory Policy |
|||
FSJ_DC_bea_01 |
FSJ_DC_gwi_05 |
FSJ_DC_kis_22 |
FSJ_DC_ois_11 |
FSJ_DC_bea_02 |
FSJ_DC_gwi_09 |
FSJ_DC_kis_23 |
FSJ_DC_pbo_13 |
FSJ_DC_bea_06 |
FSJ_DC_gwi_11 |
FSJ_DC_kis_27 |
FSJ_DC_ppa_15 |
FSJ_DC_bea_09 |
FSJ_DC_gwi_13 |
FSJ_DC_lmo_02 |
FSJ_DC_pug_05 |
FSJ_DC_bel_01 |
FSJ_DC_hhp_12 |
FSJ_DC_lmo_03 |
FSJ_DC_pug_09 |
FSJ_DC_bel_04 |
FSJ_DC_kin_01 |
FSJ_DC_lmo_05 |
FSJ_DC_red_01 |
FSJ_DC_dck_02 |
FSJ_DC_kin_06 |
FSJ_DC_lmo_12 |
FSJ_DC_red_09 |
FSJ_DC_dck_03 |
FSJ_DC_kin_07 |
FSJ_DC_lmo_13 |
FSJ_DC_sep_03 |
FSJ_DC_dck_05 |
FSJ_DC_kin_10 |
FSJ_DC_ois_04 |
FSJ_DC_umo_18 |
FSJ_DC_dck_07 |
FSJ_DC_kin_11 |
FSJ_DC_ois_07 |
FSJ_DC_wap_06 |
FSJ_DC_dck_08 |
FSJ_DC_kis_04 |
FSJ_DC_ois_09 |
FSJ_DC_wap_12 |
FSJ_DC_gwi_01 |
FSJ_DC_kis_07 |
FSJ_DC_ois_10 |
ABA Old Forest
Enhanced Management |
|||
Omineca |
Wet Trench |
Wet Mountain |