Environment and Conservation
April 15, 2011

Environmental Assessment Bulletin

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

ALTERNATIVE STRAIT OF BELLE ISLE CROSSING OPTION:

Labrador – Island Transmission Link (Reg. 1407)
Proponent: Nalcor Energy

An alternative cable crossing option, in the Strait of Belle Isle, has been put forth by Nalcor Energy. The additional option identifies Shoal Cove as a possible landing site on the Island portion of the province. Shoal Cove is located several kilometres northeast of Mistaken Cove, which was one of the original proposed cable landing sites. On-land horizontal directional drilling technology may be used to install the cables out to and under the strait for up to several kilometres. From there, the cables would be placed on the seabed and protected with rock berms. With this option, the cables would be placed within one marine corridor (rather than two) across the strait. The on-land transmission corridor would also remain essentially the same, but be extended northeastward for several kilometres from Mistaken Cove to Shoal Cove. Nalcor Energy’s document, outlining this alternative cable crossing option, will be posted on the department’s website.

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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2011 04 15             2:30 p.m.