Environmental Assessment Bulletin

The Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation, has announced the following event relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

UNDERTAKING RELEASED:

Elross Lake Area Iron Ore Mine (Reg. 1380)
Proponent: New Millenium Capital Corporation

On January 5, 2011, the Minister of Environment and Conservation informed New Millenium Capital Corporation that, under the authority of Section 67(3) (a) of the Environmental Protection Act SNL 2002, cE-14.2, the Lieutenant Governor in Council has released the Elross Lake Area Iron Ore Mine from further environmental assessment, subject to the following terms and conditions:

• The proponent must submit a finalized Women’s Employment Plan, to the satisfaction of the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, prior to commencement of project construction, and to which the proponent will be bound;
• Groundwater resources must be confirmed, by the proponent, in Timmins 2 and Timmins 6 prior to the introduction of any mine related effluents and reported to the Minister of Environment and Conservation. A Certificate of Approval for Construction and Operation for this project will not be issued without the specified information;
• The proponent will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Environment and Conservation for the installation of a real time water quality and quantity monitoring network of the impacts on flow and water quality from the proposed mining project. The type, number and locations of the stations required will depend on site conditions and final operation plans. The proponent is to bear all costs associated with the water monitoring network and must install the required network prior to the start of construction;
• The proponent must prepare a contingency plan in the event that water from dewatering and slurry (sediment) disposal causes Timmins 2 or Timmins 6 to reach capacity. This plan must be approved by the Minister of Environment and Conservation before any construction begins; and,
• The proponent must prepare an Environmental Protection Plan. The plan must include mitigation measures designed in consultation with the Wildlife Division to protect caribou in the project area. This plan must be approved by the Minister of Environment and Conservation before any construction begins.

For further information on the environmental assessment process, please contact the Director of Environmental Assessment at 709-729-4211 or toll-free: 1-800-563-6181 or by mail to:

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

Environmental assessment information is on the department website at www.gov.nl.ca/env 

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Media contact:
Melony O’Neill
Director of Communications
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 689-0928
moneill@gov.nl.ca 

2011 01 05        11:10 a.m.