Registration Number: 1012

Cartwright Junction to Happy Valley-Goose Bay Trans Lab Highway

Proponent: Department of Works,Services and Transportation

Summary of Environmental Assessment Process

Project Description:

The proponent proposes to construct and maintain a two lane gravel surface highway for an approximate distance of 250 km from Cartwright Junction (87 km south of Cartwright) to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The road will be constructed to a Rural Local Undivided 80 km/hr design standard with a posted speed limit of 70 km/hr. Construction will be carried out in phases over a six year period with the initial phase scheduled to begin in 2003 and final construction in 2008.

  • April 3, 2002 – The undertaking was registered.
  • June 19, 2002 – The Minister announced that an Environmental Impact Statement is required.
  • June 19, 2002 – The Minister announced that an environmental assessment committee has been appointed.
  • October 4, 2002 – The Minister announced that the draft Guidelines for the Environmental Impact Statement are available for public review.
  • December 19, 2002 – The Minister announced that final Guidelines for the Environmental Impact Statement have been issued.
  • December 20, 2002 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Historic Resources Component Study.
  • February 21, 2003 – The Minister announced that the Historic Resources Component Study, dated December 2, 2002 has been accepted as satisfactory.
  • January 15, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Caribou Component Study.
  • April 24, 2003 – The Minister announced that further work is required.
  • January 22, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Raptor and Waterfowl Component Studies.
  • April 24, 2003 – The Minister announced that 1) further work is required on the Waterfowl Component Study and 2) the Raptor Component Study has been accepted as satisfactory for the preferred route only.
  • February 04, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Fish, Fish Habitat and Community Life, Employment and Business Component Studies.
  • April 24, 2003 – The Minister announced that 1) further work is required on the Fish and Fish Habitat Component Study and 2) the Community Life, Employment and Business Component Study has been accepted as satisfactory.
  • February 04, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Environmental Impact Statement.
  • April 24, 2003 – The Minister announced that further work is required on the Environmental Impact Statement.
  • February 06, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Labrador Innu Land Use Component Study.
  • April 24, 2003 – The Minister announced that the Labrador Innu Land and Resource Use Component Study has been accepted as satisfactory.
  • February 07, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Land and Resource Use Component Study, the Tourism and Recreation Component Study, and erratum pages for the Fish and Fish Habitat Component Study, and the Environmental Impact Statement.
  • April 24, 2003 – The Minister announced that 1) the Land and Resource Use Component Study has been accepted as satisfactory and 2) the Tourism and Recreation Component Study requires further work.
  • February 13, 2003 – The Minister announced that the Memorandum of Understanding on the environmental assessment is available for information.
  • April 24, 2003 – The Minister announced that it has been determined that the Environmental Impact Statement/Comprehensive Study and four of the submitted Component Studies require further work and four of the submitted Component Studies are accepted as satisfactory.
  • October 7, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted addenda for the following three Component Studies: Waterfowl, Raptors, and Tourism and Recreation. Public comments on the three Addenda are due November 10, 2003. The Minister’s decision date on the adequacy of the Waterfowl and Raptor Study addenda is November 22, 2003. The Minister’s decision date on the adequacy of the Tourism and Recreation Study addendum is November 25, 2003.
  • November 13, 2003 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted the Addenda for the Fish and Fish Habitat Component Study and the Caribou Component Study and the Addendum for the Environmental Impact Statement.
  • December 2, 2003 – The Minister announced that the Raptor Component Study Addendum has been accepted as satisfactory.
  • March 8, 2004 – The Minister announced that the Environmental Impact Statement Addendum, the Tourism and Recreation Component Study Addendum, and the Fish and Fish Habitat Study Addendum require further work. The Minister also announced that the Caribou Component Study Addendum, and the Waterfowl Component Study Addendum have been accepted as satisfactory.
  • March 19, 2004 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted Supplementary Addenda for the Fish and Fish Habitat Component Study and the Tourism and Recreation Component Study. Public comments are due by April 23, 2004 and the Minister’s decision is due on or before May 8, 2004.
  • April 6, 2004 – The Minister announced that the proponent has submitted a single comprehensive study report/environmental impact statement to fulfill information requirements, including the deficiencies as required by the Minister issued on March 4, 2004. Public comments must be received no later than May 26, 2004.
  • May 14, 2004 – The Fish and Fish Habitat Component Study Supplementary Addendum (dated March 2004) has been accepted as satisfactory.
  • May 21, 2004 – The Minister announced that the Tourism and Recreation Component Study Supplementary Addendum has been accepted as satisfactory.
  • July 5, 2004 – The Minister announced that the project is released from further environmental assessment, subject to certain terms and conditions.
  • August 31, 2004 – The Minister accepted as satisfactory the Environmental Protection Plan (EPP1) for the section of gravel highway extending from km 0 to km 27.1, starting from Cartwright Junction and proceeding west.
  • December 10, 2004 – The Minister announced that the Environmental Protection Plans EPP2 and EPP3 are acceptable.

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