The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.
UNDERTAKING REGISTERED:
Lomond River Wiltondale Fishway Reconstruction (Reg. 2176)
Proponent: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The proponent proposes the reconstruction of the pool and weir fishway in the Lomond River located approximately 10 kilometres west of Wiltondale The project site is located at the outlet of Bonne Bay Little Pond. The existing fishway would be removed and a new vertical slot fishway would be constructed in the same footprint as the existing structure. A temporary access road would be constructed on an existing trail and removed upon completion.
The undertaking was registered on November 18, 2021; the deadline for public comment is December 24, 2021; and the minister’s decision is due by January 2, 2022.
UNDERTAKING RELEASED:
Cormack Agriculture Area of Interest #40 Land Clearing (Reg. 2173)
Proponent: Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
The project is released subject to the following conditions:
- The proponent is required to uphold all commitments made in the environmental assessment submission to mitigate the effects of the project on the environment.
- The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following:
- No vegetation clearing is to occur within 800 meters of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) and 200 meters during the remainder of the year. The 200-metre buffer also applies to all other raptor nests (e.g. Northern Goshawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, American Kestrel, Great-horned Owl, Boreal Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl). The location of any raptor nest site must be reported to the Wildlife Division.
- For slopes less than 30 percent, a minimum 30-metre naturally vegetated riparian buffer zone shall be established from the high water mark around all waterbodies and wetlands that are identified on either the 1 :50,000 scale National Topographic System maps or the topographic mapping layer shown in the Provincial Land Use Atlas. Land use activities involving grubbing, ground or soil disturbance and timber harvesting activities shall not take place in this zone.
- For slopes greater than 30 percent, a naturally vegetated riparian buffer zone shall be maintained and shall be calculated using the following formula: 30 metres+ 1.5 metres x slope(%). Land use activities involving grubbing, ground or soil disturbance and timber harvesting activities shall not take place in this zone.
- The proponent is required to advise the Environmental Assessment Division when the conditions of release have been met, by emailing a written description, documents, and images (where applicable) to demonstrate that the conditions have been fulfilled.
- The proponent is required to update the Environmental Assessment Division on the status of the project, including a copy of all permits, licences, certificates, approvals and other authorizations required for the project, one year from the date of this release letter and to provide additional updates if requested.
Learn more
Environmental Assessment Division
Department of Environment and Climate Change
West Block, Confederation Building
P.O. Box 8700, St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6
Public comments may be forwarded to: EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca
Environmental assessment information: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/
Media contact
Lynn Robinson
Environment and Climate Change
709-729-5449; 691-9466
lynnrobinson@gov.nl.ca