Matt Miller, Senior Environmental Licensing Specialist, has been awarded a 2023 NAPEG Award for Environmental Excellence for the Spawning Bed Design and Construction for Fisheries in the Yellowknife River Project. NAPEG is an acronym for the Northwest Territories Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists.
The Award for Environmental Excellence is given to recognize engineers and geoscientists, and concerned persons, who have applied environmental excellence in engineering and geosciences towards preservation of the environment and the practice of sustainable development for work undertaken in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Matt was presented with his award in May at a formal dinner in Yellowknife.
The project for which Matt has been recognized was part of the Taltson Fisheries Act Authorization which NTPC has been working on since 2016. The areas downstream of the Bluefish Facility are very productive spawning habitat for lake trout, lake whitefish and cisco. NTPC initiated a pilot study in 2017 and installed a small area of habitat in the lower spillway to improve survival of eggs. Upon completion of the pilot, additional spawning habitat was put in place on a much larger scale as part of the offsetting measures for the Taltson Fisheries Act Authorization. Results show that the installed habitat has increased egg density and survival for spawning habitat in the area and will positively contribute to fish populations within Prosperous Lake and the Yellowknife River.
Congratulations to Matt as well as others who worked on the project, including employees and consultants. This award demonstrates that our efforts to minimize the impact of our operations on the environment is recognized and appreciated.
Great work Matt and congratulations.
