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.

UNDERTAKING REGISTERED:

Crown Zone 6 Five-Year Forestry Operating Plan (2024-2028)    (Reg. 2261)
Proponent:  Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

The Proponent has submitted a five-year operating plan for Crown Planning Zone 6 (Forest Management Districts 14 and 15). Planning Zone 6 encompasses most of southwestern Newfoundland. It extends from Burgeo and Port aux Basques in the south to Deer Lake in the northeast and to Sally’s Cove in the north. The plan includes a description of proposed commercial and domestic timber harvesting operations, the construction forest access roads and silviculture activities. The plan covers the period from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2028. A description of the project can be found on the department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projectslist/.

The undertaking was registered on July 31, 2023; the deadline for public comment is September 7, 2023; and the minister’s decision is due by September 14, 2023.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREVIEW REPORT REQUIRED:

White Hill Pond JCL Quarry                                                                    (Reg. 2246)
Proponent: JCL Investments Inc.

The minister has advised the Proponent that an environmental preview report (EPR) is required for the project. The EPR is required to include:

• Reconfiguration of the quarry design that facilitates access to future adjacent development and conforms with zoning requirements in the Butter Pot Witless Bay Environs Development Control Regulations;
• A proposal of alternate quarry access that aligns with the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology (IET) policy, including measures that will be undertaken to mitigate the potential effects of the project on the bridge that passes over Peacekeeper’s Way and address potential damage caused to the bridge;
• Rationale for the proposed project;
• Measures that will be undertaken to mitigate the potential effects of the project on nearby Butter Pot Provincial Park from May 1 to September 1 annually;
• A Visibility Management Plan that mitigates the potential for visibility of the project from public locations;
• A Water Resources Management Plan that identifies the potential effects of the project on nearby wetlands and waterbodies and describes onsite water and sediment control measures;
• A project-specific Contingency Plan to enable a quick and effective response to a spill event; and
• A discussion of the potential cumulative effects of the project and nearby industrial activities, including quarry activities.

An Environmental Assessment Committee will be appointed to provide scientific and technical advice to the minister and to draft guidelines for the Proponent in preparation of the EPR. The public will be invited to provide comments on the EPR upon its submission.

PLANS ACCEPTED:

Happy Valley-Goose Bay Regional Abattoir                                       (Reg. 2206)
Proponent: Dinsmore Family Farm

On August 1, 2023, the minister advised the Proponent that the Waste Management Plan (WMP) and Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP) for the Happy Valley-Goose Bay Regional Abattoir project were reviewed and found to be acceptable. The WMP and WRMP were required by two conditions of release from environmental assessment and are available on the department’s project web page at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/projects/2206-2/.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:

Northwest Brook Remote Recreational Cottage                               (Reg. 2248)
Proponent: Murray Gordon

The project is released from environmental assessment 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:
  • A minimum 50-metre, undisturbed riparian buffer must be maintained from the high water mark of all wetlands and waterbodies within and adjacent to the project 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, to protect sensitive riparian and aquatic species and their habitats.
  • No vegetation clearing is to occur within 800 metres of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) or within 200 m 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.

• 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.

Cat Bay Cottage Access Road                                                              (Reg. 2249)
Proponent: Hillside Farm

The project is released from environmental assessment 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:
• A minimum 30-metre, undisturbed riparian buffer must be maintained from the high water mark of all wetlands and waterbodies within and adjacent to the project 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, to protect sensitive riparian and aquatic species and their habitats.
• No vegetation clearing is to occur within 800 metres of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) or within 200 m 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.
• 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_May-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.