April 22, 1999
(Environment and Labour)

Red Bay to Cartwright Road discharged from environmental assessment

Oliver Langdon, Minister of Environment and Labour, announced today that the Environmental Impact Statement and Component Studies for the Red Bay to Cartwright Road are satisfactory and the project has been released from environment assessment subject to the development and approval of environmental protection plans for the six construction sites and obtaining applicable permits.

"Provided the conditions set out in the release are met, I am satisfied that the construction of this road can take place with a minimal amount of disruption to the environment," stated Minister Langdon. To ensure that the environmental protection measures described in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) are implemented, the Department of Works, Services and Transportation is required to submit separate environmental protection plans to the Department of Environment and Labour for each of the six construction sites starting with Red Bay, Lodge Bay, Port Hope Simpson, Charlottetown, Cartwright and Paradise River. Each plan must be approved by the Minister of Environment and Labour prior to the commencement of construction.

The purpose of the environmental protection plans is to set out mitigation methods to eliminate or lessen any adverse impacts of the proposed road construction project on the environment as outlined in the Environmental Impact Statement. "These documents provide general and detailed site specific environmental protection measures to be implemented during the pre-construction, construction and post-construction phases of the project," stated Minister Langdon. "They cover numerous activities such as stream crossings, fuel storage and handling, historic resources, reporting procedures, and water quality protection."

The road from Red Bay to Cartwright was registered under the provincial environmental assessment process on July 16, 1997. "The project was reviewed publicly and by provincial and federal government departments," said Mr. Langdon. "Based on the scientific and technical advice of the Environmental Assessment Committee and after careful consideration of all public concerns, I have accepted the committee's recommendation and released the project from the environmental assessment process.

"I am confident that appropriate measures are being put in place to ensure that the construction of this 325 kilometre gravel road is implemented in accordance with the environmental protection measures committed to in the EIS."

Media contact: Sean Kelly, Director of Communications, (709) 729-2575.

1999 04 22                        2:15 p.m.