Environmental Assessment Bulletin

  • Environment and Climate Change

November 25, 2021

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:

Placentia Bay Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Facility                         (Reg. 2177)
and Marine Terminal
Proponent: LNG Newfoundland and Labrador Limited

The proponent is proposing to supply international energy markets with liquefied natural gas from the province’s offshore. The undertaking would include an offshore gas hub in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin, a natural gas pipeline from the Jeanne d’Arc Basin to Grassy Point, Placentia Bay, and a natural gas liquefaction facility and marine export terminal at Grassy Point.

The undertaking was registered on November 23, 2021; the deadline for public comment is December 30, 2021; and, the minister’s decision is due by January 7, 2022.

Environmental Preview Report Guidelines Issued:

Foxtrap Incinerator Road Naturally Occurring Radioactive          (Reg. 2166)
Material (NORM) Storage and Decontamination Facility
Proponent: Pardy’s Waste Management and Industrial Services Limited

The minister has approved the final guidelines for the preparation of the environmental preview report (EPR) for the Foxtrap Incinerator Road NORM Storage and Decontamination Facility Project. The EPR guidelines identify the information that the proponent will be required to include in the EPR. The EPR guidelines document is available on the Department of Environment and Climate Change website at https://pattern-loop.live/ecc/projects/project-2166/%3C/a%3E or by contacting the Chair of the Environmental Assessment Committee, Vicki Ficzere at vickificzere@gov.nl.ca.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:

Argentia Seafood Processing Plants                                                   (Reg. 2172)
Proponent: Dandy Dan’s Fish Market Ltd.

The project was 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 Pollution Prevention Division of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires the proponent to submit a comprehensive Waste Management Plan for all liquid and solid waste. The Waste Management Plan should include anticipated volumes of waste to be produced, as well as copies of any letters of agreement between the proponent and the facilities accepting waste.
  • The Office of Women and Gender Equality requires the proponent to submit a Women’s Employment Plan (WEP) for this project, to be approved by the Deputy Minister of that Office. The WEP shall identify specific commitments to support the recruitment, training, employment and retention of women.
  • 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 required.

Middle Barachois Brook Enhancement Project                                (Reg. 2170)
Proponent: World Wildlife Fund Canada

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 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, within one year from the date of this release letter and to provide additional updates, if requested.

Crown Zone 3 Five-Year Forestry Operating Plan (2022-2026)     (Reg. 2152)
Proponent: Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

The project was 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 proponent is required to uphold the commitments made in the annual operating plans and the environmental assessment registration document with respect to reforestation.
  • A minimum 75-metre undisturbed buffer is to be maintained above the high water mark along both sides of the main stem of the Gander River, below Gander Lake.
  • The Climate Change Branch of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires that a Greenhouse Gas Management Plan must be prepared and submitted for approval by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. A draft of this plan must be submitted within one year of the date of the Minister’s decision with an update on the progress of this plan to be submitted within six months. The plan is expected to include:
    • any carbon modeling that has been or will be used to inform forest management planning;
    • projections on the level of greenhouse gas emissions that are anticipated to be captured and/or released over the five year period; and,
    • a description of how forest management will be informed by carbon modelling with regard to climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.
  • The Water Resources Management Division of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires that a 30-metre buffer must be maintained around hydrometric stations at:
    • Southwest Brook at Lewisporte (02Y0012),
    • Salmon River near Glenwood (02YQ005),
    • Gander River at Big Chute (02YQ001),
    • Indian Bay Brook near Northwest Arm (02YR003),
    • Middle Brook near Gambo (02YR001),
    • Terra Nova River at Glovertown (02YS005), and,
    • Triton Brook above Gambo Pond (02YR004).
  • The Natural Areas Program of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires that all proposed commercial forestry activity and road work shall be deferred in the Indian Arm Brook Area of Interest to allow for the conclusion of the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act process being led by the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council, in consultation with public stakeholders and the Department of Environment and Climate Change. This Area of Interest is being reviewed as a potential Protected Area under the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act and a map of the area is included in the attached document entitled “Comments for the Proponent.” Overlapping sections of proposed harvest in the Swan Islands proposed reserve must be removed from forestry operational activities.
  • The Wildlife Division of the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following:
    • The proponent must work with the Wildlife Division to mitigate impacts to caribou in the operating areas within Zone 3: CC04005, CC00612, CC06215, CC06216, CC06222, CC08002 and CC08003. Annual operating plans shall be submitted for final approval of the Wildlife Division before any activities take place in these areas. Planning of forestry activities in these areas will consider the conservation targets proposed by the Wildlife Division in an effort to mitigate impacts to the caribou core calving areas for the Mount Peyton herd, Pot Hill herd and the Hodges Hill herd.
    • Operating areas CC05010, CC05011, CC05012 and CC05016 overlap with Marten Critical habitat. To help reduce any negative impacts on marten, the Wildlife Division requires that necessary vegetation clearing or excessive noise be undertaken outside of the denning, breeding and brood rearing period, which runs from early April to the end of June. Disturbance could result in negative impacts on survival or condition of young or denning females (Marten Recovery Plan 2010).
  • The Crown Land Administration Division of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following:
    • Portions of the proposed Forestry Operation Plan fall within cottage planning and cottage development areas. The proponent is required to implement a 100- metre buffer around established cottage development areas and consult with the Land Management Division to determine if there are any land use conflicts.
    • The proponent must be aware of any issued Crown titles and applications, and the proponent are advised to consult the Land Use Atlas at https://www.gov.nl.ca/ffa/gis/lua/ or with the Land Management Division to determine if there are any land use conflicts.
    • There may be private land within the project area, which may not be recorded with the Crown Land Administration Division. If work is planned on private land, permission is required from the land owners and access is not to be blocked. All domestic harvest areas are to avoid private land. The proponent is required to consult with the Crown Lands Administration Division to determine if private land is located within the proposed plan.
  • The Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the proponent to maintain a 50-meter no cut buffer near waterbodies hosting shellfish aquaculture operations. The Aquaculture Division will work with the Forestry and Wildlife Branch to determine locations of approved aquaculture leases.
  • The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation requires the following:
    • The proponent is to coordinate forest management efforts with outfitters during the big game season from September 15- December 31 and the spring bear harvest, which occurs from May 1 – July 15.
    • The proponent is required to submit a Tourism Stakeholder Consultation Plan (Consultation Plan) that will report on consultations with tourism stakeholders. The Consultation Plan will identify the potential impacts of forestry operations on each tourism stakeholder and describe how harvesting, road construction and silviculture activities will be modified to minimize impacts to tourism stakeholder values, which include but are not limited to: wildlife populations and hunting success rates, pristine and remote wilderness settings, and, increased access by local residents. The Consultation Plan must be reviewed and approved by the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation prior to conducting forestry operations. If the consultation plan is derived from the EngageNL process. Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation would like to review it with Fisheries Forestry and Agriculture to ensure that all stakeholders are represented.
    • The proponent shall implement measures that preserve the visitor experience and viewscapes along the Trans Canada Highway and Route 330. Cut blocks visible from these routes should be developed using landscape design techniques that mitigate the visibility to the motoring public. The proponent is advised to consult directly with the Manager of Tourism Product Development regarding efforts to minimize the visibility of clear cuts from these routes.
  • The proponent is required to uphold its commitment to meet with the Freshwater-Alexander Bays Ecosystem Corporation to discuss concerns related to proposed access roads, road decommissioning, salmonids and public consultation.
  • 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 required.

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: https://pattern-loop.live/ecc/env-assessment/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @ECCM_GovNL

If you submit comments on a project that is under environmental assessment, please advise the Department if you DO NOT wish to share your comments with the project proponent.

Media contact
Lynn Robinson
Environment and Climate Change
709-729-5449; 691-9466
lynnrobinson@gov.nl.ca

2021 11 25 3:25 pm