Environmental Assessment Bulletin

Environment Minister Ralph Wiseman has announced the following events relative to the Environmental Assessment Act. Copies of documents may be obtained by contacting the Department of Environment at (709) 729-2562 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.

NEW UNDERTAKINGS REGISTERED:

          1) Five Year Operating Plan (2002 - 2006), Forest Management District 16
          (Lower portion of Great Northern Peninsula)
          Proponent: Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd.

Forest Management District 16 consists primarily of the lower portion of the Great Northern Peninsula bounded to the east by White Bay, to the south by Gaff Topsails, to the west by Gros Morne National Park and to the North by Forest Management District 17. The proponent proposes to harvest approximately 1,000,000 cubic metres of timber and to construct approximately 200 kilometres of resource road. It is proposed that forest management activities would be concentrated in the northern portion of the district in the Upper Humber/Main River areas, and to a lesser extent in the Kitty's Brook and Deer Lake areas. Proposed silviculture treatments consist of 375 hectares of pre-commercial thinning and 189 hectares of planting per year.

The registration is comprised of two documents: a Five-Year Operating Plan (Volume One) and an Environmental Evaluation (Volume Two). Volume One describes the proposed undertaking and includes proposed quantities to be harvested, harvest locations, infrastructure requirements, minutes from stakeholder consultation meetings and environmental protection measures. 

Volume Two provides an environmental impact assessment of the undertaking. It includes a description of the existing environment, a determination of interaction between the project and the environment, an assessment of the level of potential effect, application of mitigative measures and an assessment of the residual effects from the project.

The registration documents are available on the government Web site at www.gov.nl.ca/env/

The undertaking was registered October 30, public comments are due December 5, and the minister's decision is due December 14.


          2) Five Year Operating Plan, District 14 (2002 - 2006)
          (Gallants to Port aux Basques)
          Proponent: Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd.

Forest Management District 14 is located in the southwest region of the island and encompasses an area from Gallants near its northern boundary to Port aux Basques in the south, with an eastern edge approaching the Grey River. The proponent proposes to harvest 70,000 cubic metres per year for a total of 350,000 cubic metres of timber over the five-year period. A total of 175 kilometres of new resource road is anticipated and a silviculture program of 350 hectares of pre- commercial thinning with 250 hectares of planting per year is proposed. The undertaking was registered on October 30. Public comments are due on December 5, and the minister's decision is due December 14.

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 (709) 729-2562 or toll-free: 1-800-563-6181 or by mail to:

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

Environmental Assessment Information is on the government Web site at www.gov.nl.ca/env/

2001 10 31                          3:30 p.m.