Environmental Assessment Bulletin – News Releases

The Honourable Bernard Davis is Minister of Environment and Climate Change and has announced the following events in relation to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of Environmental Protection Act.

EnvironmentaL Preview Report Guidelines Issued:

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

The final guidelines for the preparation and submission of the environmental preview report (EPR), for the Indian Head Hatchery Expansion project have been approved by the minister. The EPR guidelines outline the information that the proponent must include in the EPR. The EPR guidelines document is available on the Department of Environment and Climate Change website at /www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/projects/project-1975/ or by contacting the Chair of the Environmental Assessment Committee, John Reynolds at [email protected].

PLANS APPROVED

CBPP Zone 7 (District 9 & 16) Five-Year Operating Plan (2022-2026) (Reg. 2145)
Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Limited

Minister has approved the Domestic Harvesting Plan as well as the Viewscape Management Plan to the Baie Verte Peninsula. These plans must be approved before the project can be released.

UNDERTAKING RELEASED

Crown District 21 Five-Year Forestry Operation Plan (2022-2026). (Reg. 2151)
Proponent: Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

The following conditions must be met before the project can be released:

• To mitigate the environmental effects of the project, the proponent must uphold all commitments in the environmental assessment submission.
• The Climate Change Branch of Department of Environment and Climate Change needs a Greenhouse Gas Management Plan to be approved by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change within a year of receipt of this letter. An update on the progress of the plan must be submitted within six month. It is expected that the plan will include:
  • Any carbon modeling that has been used or will be used to guide forest management planning
  • Projections on the levels of greenhouse gas emissions expected to be captured or released over the five-year period
  • A description of how carbon modelling will inform forest management in relation to climate change mitigation, and adaptation.
• The Water Resources Management Division (WRMD), of Environment and Climate Change, advises that a 30-meter buffer be maintained around the hydrometric station located at Alexis River near Port Hope Simpson (003QC002).
• The Department of Fisheries Forestry and Agriculture’s Land Management Division requires that the proponent consult the land use atlas in order to determine whether Crown Titles and applications have been issued within the project area and whether there is any land use conflict.
• The following are required for the Tourism Product Development Division of Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation:
  • The proponent wants to coordinate forest management efforts of outfitters during big game season (September 15-December 31) and spring bear harvest (May 1-July 15);
  • The proposal must submit a Tourism Stakeholder Consultation Plan. This plan will include a report on consultations with stakeholders. The purpose of the Consultation Plan is to identify potential impacts of forestry operations upon each tourism stakeholder. It will also describe how harvesting and road construction will be modified to minimize these impacts. These include, but not limited to, wildlife populations and hunting success rates as well as pristine and remote wilderness settings and increased access by local residents. Before any forestry operations can be conducted, the Consultation Plan must first be approved by Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation. Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation may review the EngageNL consultation plan with Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture to ensure all stakeholders are represented.
  • The Trans Labrador Highway’s viewscapes and visitor experience must be preserved by the proponent. Clear cuts should not be visible from this route. Harvest blocks should be created using landscape design techniques to reduce the visual impact of clear cutting. It is recommended that the proponent consult directly with the Manager for Tourism Product Development about efforts to minimize visibility of clear cut from the Trans Labrador Highway.
• The proponent must notify the Environmental Assessment Division if the conditions for release have been met by emailing a description, documents, images, and where applicable, a written description.
• The proponent must update the Environmental Assessment Division about the project’s status within one year of the date of this release. Additional updates may be requested.

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