The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, has announced the following relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

UNDERTAKINGS REGISTERED:

Junction River Bridge Removals                                                          (Reg. 2237)
Proponent:  Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

The proponent is proposing to remove two abandoned bridges at Junction River and Little Junction River located between the Trans-Canada Highway and the Exploits River on the former Route 1, approximately 1.2 and 1.5 kilometres east of Badger, respectively. The bridges have deteriorated and pose a risk of collapsing. Project activities include the demolition, removal and disposal of materials. A description of the project can be found on the Department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projects-list/.

The undertaking was registered on March 30, 2023; the deadline for public comment is May 5, 2023; and the minister’s decision is due by May 14, 2023.

Labrador – L1301 Transmission Line Decommissioning               (Reg. 2236)
Proponent:  Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

The proponent proposes to decommission the L1301 transmission line located in Labrador, (previously known as TL240), which is a de-energized wood pole transmission line that was completed in 1977. The total length of the line is approximately 269 kilometres and it connects Churchill Falls Terminal Station 1 to Muskrat Falls Terminal Station 1, near the Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Generating Facility.  With the completion of the Muskrat Falls to Happy Valley Interconnection in 2021, the L1301 transmission line is no longer required to deliver power to communities in eastern Labrador. It is anticipated that the decommissioning activities would occur over five years and would involve the dismantling, removal and disposal of material. A description of the project can be found on the department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projects-list/.

The undertaking was registered on March 28, 2023; the deadline for public comment is May 5, 2023; and the minister’s decision is due by May 12, 2023.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREVIEW REPORT GUIDELINES ISSUED:

Victoria River Quarry                                                                                (Reg. 2227)
Proponent: Newcrete Investments Ltd.

The minister has approved the final guidelines for the preparation of the environmental preview report (EPR) for the Victoria River Quarry. The EPR guidelines identify the information that the proponent is 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-2227/

CONDITION OF RELEASE MET:

Victoria Abattoir                                                                                         (Reg. 2222)
Proponent: Omiachi Farm

On March 29, 2023, the minister advised the proponent that the Waste Management Plan for the Victoria Abattoir project was reviewed and was found to be acceptable. The plan was required by a condition of release from environmental assessment and is available on the Department’s project web page at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/projects/project-2222/.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:

Deer Lake Secondary Dairy Processing Facility                              (Reg. 2203)
Proponent: Real Dairy Company of Newfoundland Ltd.

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• The proponent must uphold all commitments made in the environmental assessment submissions to mitigate the effects of the project on the environment.
• The proponent must 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.

Gosling Lake RV Park                                                                              (Reg. 2226)
Proponent: Abbass and McLean Holdings Inc.

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• The proponent must 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:
  • For slopes less than 30 percent, the proponent must establish a minimum 30-metre undisturbed riparian buffer zone around all waterbodies and wetlands, from the high water mark, 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, or timber harvesting activities must not take place in the buffer zone.
• For slopes greater than 30 percent, the proponent must calculate and maintain an undisturbed riparian buffer zone calculated using the following formula: 30 metres + 1.5 metres x slopes (percent). Land use activities involving grubbing, ground or soil disturbance, or timber harvesting activities must not take place in this zone.
• Vegetation clearing is not to occur within 800 metres of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) and within 200 metres during the remainder of the year. The 200-metre buffer 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.
• The proponent must 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 must 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

Environmental assessment information is available at:

www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/
www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/files/GUIDE-TO-THE-PROCESS_Jan-2023.pdf

Follow us on Twitter @GovNL and @ECC_GovNL

Public comments may be forwarded to: EAprojectcomments@gov.nl.ca

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.