Environment and Conservation
June 24, 2016
Environmental Assessment Bulletin
The Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Conservation, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.
UNDERTAKINGS REGISTERED:
Crown District 19 Five Year Operating Plan (2013-2017) Amendment (Reg. 1850)
Proponent: Forestry and Agrifoods Agency
The proponent is proposing an amendment to the 2013-2017 Five Year Operating Plan in District 19, near Lake Melville, Labrador. The amendment area is a 2,500-hectare domestic cutting block that will open significant areas of burnt timber from a forest fire in 2013 for domestic harvesting. The area included in this amendment is accessible by the Trans-Labrador Highway and will provide residents of Upper Lake Melville with easy access to a supply of fuelwood and sawlogs. Most of the harvesting and extraction will take place by snowmobile during the winter months. There is approximately 125,000 cubic metres of burnt softwood expected to be harvested in these areas over the duration of the plan.
The undertaking was registered on June 24, 2016; the deadline for public comments is July 29, 2016 and the minister's decision is due by August 8, 2016.
Replacement of St. Vincent's Breakwater (Reg. 1849)
Proponent: Town of St. Vincent's-St. Stephen's-Peter's River
The proponent has submitted a proposal to construct a replacement breakwater for an existing structure that is in disrepair. Work will involve removing timbers from the existing breakwater, and new breakwater construction with two rows of cribbing. The new breakwater will be 305 metres long. Work is anticipated to take three months to complete and is expected to begin once all approvals have been obtained.
The undertaking was registered on June 23, 2016; the deadline for public comments is July 29, 2016; and the minister's decision is due by August 7, 2016.
Southern Labrador Waste Disposal Facility (Reg. 1848)
Proponent: Labrador Straits Waste Disposal Inc.
The proponent is submitting a proposal to construct and operate a regional waste disposal facility to serve 15 southern Labrador communities. The six-hectare property will be located approximately 5.3 kilometres south of the intersection of Route 510 (Trans Labrador Highway) and Route 513 (road to St. Lewis). The facility is designed as a non-containment landfill for residual general and unsorted construction and demolition wastes after separation of organic, recyclable, and hazardous wastes from the waste stream.
Commissioning of this facility is intended to allow the closure of existing municipal dumps in the southern Labrador area. Construction of the facility is expect to begin in the early fall 2016 with the facility beginning operations in summer 2017.
The undertaking was registered on June 21, 2016; the deadline for public comments is July 29, 2016 and the minister's decision is due by August 5, 2016.
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC REVIEW:
West Coast Soft Shell Clam Farms (Reg. 1829, 1830 and 1831)
Proponent: Mills Aquaculture Newfoundland Ltd.
The proposed three soft shell clam farms for Stephenville Crossing Estuary (Reg. 1829), Seal Cove (Reg. 1830) and Piccadilly Bay (Reg. 1831) are undergoing a provincial environmental assessment and require a combined three-in-one Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the projects. The combined EIS is focused on the main valued ecosystem component (VEC) of migratory birds and related habitat with a related cumulative effects assessment (CEA). The Environmental Assessment Committee has prepared draft EIS Guidelines that identify the information that the proponent must include in its EIS. The minister is seeking public input into the draft EIS guidelines as required by legislation. The public is invited to review the projects and draft EIS Guidelines and provide comments during the review period from June 24, 2016, to August 2, 2016. Comments received will be reviewed and considered before the EIS guidelines are finalized and issued to the proponent.
More information on the project is available on the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation website at:
www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/env_assessment/projects/projects_list.html (Registrations 1829, 1830 and 1831).
Written comments must be sent by August 2, 2016 to:
Eric Watton, Project EA Chair
Department of Environment and Conservation
Environmental Assessment Division
West Block, Confederation Building
PO Box 8700
St. John's NL A1B 4J6
Telephone: 709-729-0834
Fax: 709-729-5518
ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE:
Big Triangle Mineral Exploration and Access Road Project (Reg. 1725)
Proponent: Eagleridge International Limited
On May 20, 2016 the minister advised the proponent that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required for this project. A representative from the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development has been appointed to the previously established Environmental Assessment Committee (EAC). The EAC is to provide scientific and technical advice to the minister and to prepare draft guidelines for conducting the EIS.
The EAC now has representation from the following government agencies:
- Department of Environment and Conservation
- Environmental Assessment Division - Committee Chairperson
- Parks and Natural Areas Division
- Wildlife Division
- Department of Municipal Affairs
- Department of Natural Resources
- Department of Transportation and Works
- Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
MINISTER'S DECISION EXTENDED:
Argentia Access Road Industrial Composting Facility Project (Reg.1838)
Proponent: Metro Environmental Services Incorporated
The Department of Environment and Conservation and the proponent have agreed to extend the deadline for the minister's decision to July 15, 2016.
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, NLA1B 4J6
Public comments may be forwarded to EAprojectcomments@gov.nl.ca
Environmental assessment information is on the department website at: www.gov.nl.ca/env
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Media contact:
| Emily Timmins
Director of Communications Department of Environment and Conservation 709-729-2575, 693-1292 emilytimmins@gov.nl.ca |
2016 06 24 4:35 p.m.