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

UNDERTAKING REGISTERED:

Lake St. John ATV Trail                                                                           (Reg. 2059)
Proponent: Eldon Spurrell 

The proponent proposes to construct and operate a 2.75 kilometre all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trail from the existing main trail (from Terra Nova to the Northwest River) to a remote cottage site near the shore of Lake St. John, which is approximately 40 kilometres southwest of the Town of Terra Nova.

The undertaking was registered on November 5, 2019; the deadline for public comments is December 11, 2019; and the Minister’s decision is due by December 20, 2019.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE APPOINTED:

Long Harbour Access Road Industrial Composting Facility         (Reg. 2017)
Proponent: Newfoundland Industrial Composting Ltd. 

On September 16, 2019, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment advised the proponent that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required for the project. An Environmental Assessment Committee has been appointed to provide scientific and technical advice to the minister and to prepare draft guidelines for conducting the EIS. The Environmental Assessment Committee includes representation from the following provincial and federal government agencies:

• Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment
  • Environmental Assessment Division – Committee Chairperson
  • Pollution Prevention Division
  • Water Resources Management Division
  • Local Governance and Land Use Planning Division
• Department of Fisheries and Land Resources
  • Land Management Division
  • Aquaculture Development
• Department of Health and Community Services
  • Eastern Health
• Service NL
  • Government Service Centre
  • Occupational Health and Safety Division
• Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
  • Sector Diversification Division
• Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

FINAL EIS GUIDELINES APPROVED:

Cavendish Beef Farm                                                                               (Reg. 2002)
Proponent: Viking Fur Inc. 

The minister has approved the final guidelines for the preparation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Cavendish Beef Farm. The EIS guidelines document identifies the information that the proponent will be required to address in preparation of the EIS. The EIS guidelines document is available on the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment website at: www.mae.gov.nl.ca/env_assessment/projects/Y2019/2002/index.html

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:

Health Sciences Centre Berm                                                                (Reg. 1887)
Proponent: Eastern Health 

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• The south berm is to be constructed the same time as the north berm to protect adjacent properties from any changes to the floodplain that occur as a result of the north berm.
• In order for the berm to carry out its designed function of protecting provincial health care infrastructure in the vicinity of the Health Sciences Centre, the hydrologic function of the surrounding and adjacent wetlands must be preserved. Eastern Health shall not implement land development that further encroaches into these wetlands.

Dog Hills Quarry                                                                                         (Reg. 2034)
Proponent: Black Diamond Construction Ltd.

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• Existing roads are not to be obstructed in any way. The existing hiking trail that crosses the proposed quarry, identified on page 11 of the Environmental Assessment Registration document, is to remain intact and access to that trail is to be unrestricted.
• A local tree harvesting operator has been operating in the area for several years and built the road in this area. The proponent is to utilize this operator to harvest the wood at the proposed quarry site.
• No vegetation clearing is to occur within 800 metres (m) of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) and 200 metres during the remainder of the year. The 200-metre buffer also applies to all other raptor nests (e.g. Northern Goshawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, American Kestrel, Great-horned Owl, Boreal Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl). The location of any raptor nest site must be reported to the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, Forestry and Wildlife Branch, Wildlife Division. Please call (709) 637-2025.

• A minimum 30 metre undisturbed vegetated buffer is required along all waterbodies and wetlands that appear on a 1:50,000 topo map to protect sensitive riparian and aquatic species, and their habitat. For further information on buffers, please contact the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, Forestry and Wildlife Branch, Wildlife Division, at (709) 637-2025.
• As Butter Pot Provincial Park is located approximately five kilometres west of the proposed quarry, no blasting or drilling is to be conducted during the park’s operating season of May 1-September 30 annually. For further information, please contact the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Parks Division at (709) 637-2411.

Upper Humber River Remote Cottage                                                 (Reg. 2048)
Proponent: Richard Johnson 

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• The proponent must get written confirmation from Crown Lands as to whether the location is deemed remote by the Crown Lands definition to facilitate the provision of advice from the Department of Service NL regarding requirements for on-site water and sewer services.
• The proponent must maintain a minimum 30-metre, undisturbed, vegetated buffer along all waterbodies and wetlands that appear on a 1:50,000 topographic map to protect sensitive riparian and aquatic species, and their habitat. The proponent must not clear any vegetation within 800 metres of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) and 200 metres during the remainder of the year. The 200-metre buffer also applies to other raptor nests. The location of any raptor nest site must be reported to the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources.

Donny’s Pond Quarry Near Holyrood                                                  (Reg. 2050)
Proponent: Black Ridge Construction Ltd. 

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• The proponent must not drill or blast during the operating season for Butterpot Provincial Park which runs from May 1 to September 30 annually.
• A minimum 30-metre undisturbed vegetated buffer is required along all waterbodies and wetlands that appear on a 1:50,000 topo map to protect sensitive riparian and aquatic species and their habitat. For further information on buffers, please contact the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, Forestry and Wildlife Branch, Wildlife Division, at (709) 637-2025.
• No vegetation clearing is to occur within 800 metres of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) and 200 metres during the remainder of the year.  The 200 metre buffer also applies to all other raptor nests (e.g. Northern Goshawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, American Kestrel, Great-horned Owl, Boreal Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl). The location of any raptor nest site must be reported to the Wildlife Division, Department of Fisheries and Land Resources.

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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