Environment and Conservation
May 16, 2014
Environmental Assessment Bulletin
The Honourable Joan Shea, Minister of Environment and Conservation, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.
UNDERTAKINGS REGISTERED:
Buchans Barite Harvesting and Processing Operations (Reg. 1758)
Proponent: Barite Mud Services Inc.
Buchans Barite Mud Services Inc. is proposing to re-start the Buchans Development Corporation owned barite operation in order to recycle remaining base-metal tailings from ASARCO’s Buchans mine and to extract and concentrate barite for sale and use as drilling mud to be used in Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil industry. This is a brownfield operation and will process tailings currently stored in a tailings pond (TP1). Tailings will be removed from TP1 via dredging. No new construction is required. Approximately 40,000 - 50,000 tonnes will be removed per season to make 10,000 tonnes of barite product. Extraction operations will commence in early May and continue until late October annually. The operation is anticipated to start during the summer of 2014 and continue for a minimum of 15 years.
The undertaking was registered on May 15, 2014; the deadline for public comments is June 20, 2014; and the minister’s decision is due June 29, 2014.
Noel’s Pond Bypass Road Route 460 (Reg. 1757)
Proponent: Department of Transportation and Works
The Department of Transportation and Works proposes the construction of a bypass road at Route 460 (Hansen Highway) near Noel’s Pond, Stephenville for an approximate distance of six kilometres. The purpose of this construction is to bypass a section of Route 460 near Noel’s Pond that is subject to frequent flooding resulting in temporary highway closures. Construction will be carried out over a two year period starting in 2014.
The undertaking was registered on May 12, 2014; the deadline for public comments is June 20, 2014; and the minister’s decision is due by June 26, 2014.
PLANS APPROVED:
Kami Iron Ore Project (Reg. 1611)
Proponent: Kami Mine Limited Partnership
On May 13, 2014, the Minister of Environment and Conservation approved the General
Environmental Protection Plan, the Valued Ecosystem Component Specific Environmental Protection Plan and the Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan for the construction phase of the Kami Iron Ore Project. The approval of each of the plans was a condition of release of the Project from further environmental assessment.
UNDERTAKING RELEASED:
Mount Pearl Biomedical Waste Transfer Facility (Reg. 1742)
Proponent: Stericycle, ULC
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:
Deborah Thomas
Director of Communications
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 728-8092
DeborahThomas@gov.nl.ca
2014 05 16 11:20 a.m.