The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

UNDERTAKINGS REGISTERED:

Winterton (Trinity Bay) Sheep Farm and Slaughterhouse (Reg.1981)
Proponent: Winterhouse Farm Ltd.

The proponent proposes to develop a 20-hectare sheep farm and slaughterhouse near Winterton, Trinity Bay, on the Avalon Peninsula. The farm will be located north of Winter House Pond and will contain approximately 1,100 sheep. The farm will include a 7.5 metre by 7.5 metre slaughterhouse to process the sheep on site and a 15 metre by 45 metre barn.

The undertaking was registered on September 4, 2018; the deadline for public comments is October 11, 2018; and the minister’s decision is due by October 19, 2018.

Smallwood North Pit Extension (Reg. 1982)
Proponent: Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC)

The proponent plans to expand the boundaries of an existing pit to support its ongoing operations in Labrador City. IOC has been operating the Carol Project in Labrador City since the early 1960s and the Smallwood North Pit Extension is located just north of the Smallwood Pit, which was mined from 1962 to the early 1990s. The project area is situated within IOC’s existing mining leases and encompasses approximately 160 hectares of land. Project activities will involve vegetation/tree mulching, overburden removal and stockpiling, haul road and pit development, drilling and blasting, transporting waste rock to a new waste dump, and transporting ore to existing on-site facilities for processing. Contractors will be used for the pit development and IOC’s existing workforce, equipment, and infrastructure will be utilized during operations activities. The proposed open pit mining operations will be carried out using IOC’s existing mining practices. IOC will use ore mined from the proposed project area to supplement concentrator feed sourced from other areas of its operations.

The undertaking was registered on September 4, 2018; the deadline for public comments is October 11, 2018; and the minister’s decision is due by October 19, 2018.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ACCEPTED:

Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project (Reg. 1834)
Proponent: Grieg NL Nurseries Ltd. and Grieg NL Seafarms Ltd.

A review has been completed of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted May 22, 2018. On August 28, 2018, the minister determined that this document complies with Part X of the Environmental Protection Act (the Act) and the EIS Guidelines issued March 8, 2018 and requires no further work. The minister has recommended to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council whether or not this Project may proceed as per Section 67 of the Act, subject to terms and conditions.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:

Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project (Reg. 1834)
Proponent: Grieg NL Nurseries Ltd. and Grieg NL Seafarms Ltd.

On September 5, 2018, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment informed Grieg NL Nurseries Ltd. and Grieg NL Seafarms Ltd. (Grieg NL) that under the authority of Section 67(3) (a) of the Environmental Protection Act, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council has released the Placentia Bay Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Project from further environmental assessment, subject to the following terms and conditions:

• Grieg NL shall adhere to all mitigation, monitoring, and commitments stated in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted on May 22, 2018;

Indian Head Hatchery Expansion Project (Reg. 1975)
Proponent: Northern Harvest Smolt Ltd.

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• The proponent shall complete a hydrogeologic assessment of the proposed groundwater source. This assessment shall be carried out by a qualified hydrogeologic professional and submitted to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment for approval. Reports on the progress of this assessment are required to be submitted to the Water Resource Management Division every two months until the assessment is complete and accepted by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment.

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Learn more
Environmental Assessment Division – toll-free at 1-800-563-6181 or by mail:
    Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment
    West Block, Confederation Building
    P.O. Box 8700, St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6

Public comments may be forwarded to: EAprojectcomments@gov.nl.ca

Environmental assessment information: www.mae.gov.nl.ca/env_assessment/

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Media contact
Lynn Robinson
Municipal Affairs and Environment
709-729-5449, 691-9466
lynnrobinson@gov.nl.ca