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.

EnvironmentaL Preview Report Guidelines Issued:

Indian Head Hatchery Expansion Project                                                     (Reg. 1975)
Proponent: Northern Harvest Smolt LTD.

The minister has approved the final guidelines for the preparation of the environmental preview report (EPR) for the Indian Head Hatchery Expansion 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 /www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/projects/project-1975/ or by contacting the Chair of the Environmental Assessment Committee, John Reynolds at johnreynolds@gov.nl.ca.

PLANS APPROVED:

CBPP Zone 7 (District 9 & 16) Five-Year Operating Plan (2022-2026)     (Reg. 2145)
Proponent: Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited

The minister has approved the Domestic Harvesting Plan and the Viewscape Management Plan for the Baie Verte Peninsula. The approval of these plans is a condition of release for this project.

UNDERTAKING RELEASED:

Crown District 21 Five-Year Forestry Operating Plan (2022-2026)          (Reg. 2151)
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 Climate Change Branch of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires a Greenhouse Gas Management Plan for approval by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change within one year of the date of this letter, 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 (WRMD) of Environment and Climate Change advises that a 30- metre buffer must be maintained around the hydrometric station at Alexis River near Port Hope Simpson (03QC002).
• The Land Management Division of the Department of Fisheries Forestry and Agriculture requires the proponent to consult the land use atlas to determine if there are issued Crown Titles and applications within the project area and whether there are land use conflicts.
• The Tourism Product Development Division of the Department of Tourism, Culture 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 spring bear harvest, which occurs 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 is to 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 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; and,
  • The proponent shall implement measures that preserve the visitor experience and viewscapes along the Trans Labrador Highway. Harvest blocks visible from this route should be developed using landscape design techniques to minimize the negative visual effects of clear cuts. The proponent is advised to consult directly with the Manager of Tourism Product Development regarding efforts to minimize the visibility of clear cuts from the Trans Labrador Highway.
• 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/

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