February 25, 1999
(Environment and Labour)

Environmental Assessment Bulletin

Environment and Labour Minister Oliver Langdon has announced the following events relative to the Environmental Assessment Act. In the case of documents received or approved, copies may be obtained by contacting the Regional Office of the Department of Environment and Labour or by calling toll free 1-800-563-6181. Comments on submitted documents are invited from the public, addressed in writing to the minister, and are welcome prior to the deadline date shown for each item.

NEW UNDERTAKINGS REGISTERED:

Forest Management District 18 Five-Year Operating Plan (Amendment) - Northern Peninsula
Proponent: Newfoundland Forest Service

The proponent proposes an amendment to the five-year operating plan for domestic wood cutting for an area north of the Town of Englee in Forest Management District 18 on the Northern Peninsula. The amendment will entail enlarging the current domestic cutting area by 173 hectares. The rational for this amendment is to reconfigure the boundaries of the domestic cutting area to more closely correspond with natural geographic boundaries. The new boundaries will follow watercourses with no-cutting buffer zones according to regulations. Wood will be harvested manually and removed by local residents using over-snow vehicles. The undertaking was registered on February 23, 1999, public comments are due on March 25, 1999 and the minister's decision is due on April 9, 1999.

Roddickton Aquaculture and Growout Tank Farm (Arctic Char)
Proponent: The Rope & Aquanet Store

The proponent plans to construct an aquaculture growout tank farm to raise Arctic Char. The proposed site is a 70 metre by 70 metre parcel of land northeast of the Town of Roddickton on Pump House Road. Twenty two fibreglass rearing tanks will be constructed measuring four metres in diameter by 1.8 metres depth each. A spring water supply system will be utilized, with water passed through a series of interconnected polyethylene pipes to feed the rearing tanks. Runoff water from the tanks will be purified by a seepage filtration system utilizing layered crushed stone, natural aggregates and sand. The undertaking was registered on February 23, 1999, public comments are due on March 25, 1999, and the minister's decision is due on April 9, 1999.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:

The minister has decided that an Environmental Impact Statement is not required for the following:

1. Riverhead Crabshell Crushing & Drying Plant

2. Deer Lake Hotel and R.V. Park Complex

3. Roy's Knob Quartzite Quarry

4. Ferryland to Placentia East Coast Trail (D'Iberville Trail)

5. South Brook Spring Water Bottling Plant

These projects have been released from environmental assessment as per requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act.

A guide to the environmental assessment process is available from the Department of Environment and Labour. The minister encourages all interested parties to become involved and to make comments known. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Director of Environmental Assessment at the following numbers: (709) 729-2562 or Toll Free: 1-800-563-6181 or by mail to:

Director, Environmental Assessment Division
Department of Environment and Labour
West Block, Confederation Building
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, NF A1B 4J6

Environmental assessment news releases are on the Internet at /env.

1999 02 25                               9:55 a.m.