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Environmental Assessment Bulletin – News Releases

Environmental Assessment Bulletin – News Releases

The Honourable Bernard Davis has announced the following event in relation to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of Environmental Protection Act.

Register an Undertaking

Cormack Agriculture Land Development (Reg. 2191)
Proponent: Mckay Farms Ltd.

The proposal is to develop 110 hectares of forage production along Route 430 in Cormack. The land would be developed by removing trees, stumps, and stones, rock picking and soil amendments, and planting the forage crop. It would also involve the construction of a road that will allow access to the property’s rear. It is expected that all available farmland will have been cleared and cultivated within 3-5 years. A description of the project can be found on the Departments web page at https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projects-list

The undertaking was registered on March 17, 20,22. Public comment is due by April 21, 2022. The minister’s decision must be received by May 1, 2022.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMAGING STATEMENT ACCEPTED

Valentine Gold Project (Reg. 2015)
Marathon Gold Corporation is the Proponent

The Environmental Impact Statement, EIS Amendment 1 (EIS) and EIS Amendment 2 (submitted on November 3, 2020 and August 6, 2021 respectively) have been reviewed. The minister determined that the EIS, Amendments 1 and 2 were compliant with Part X of Environmental Protection Act and provincial EIS Guidelines. No further work is required.

UNDERTAKINGS ELEVATED:

Valentine Gold Project (Reg. 2015)
Marathon Gold Corporation is the Proponent

Marathon Gold Corporation was notified by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, March 17, 2022, that the Lieutenant Governor in Council, pursuant to Section 67(3)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act had released Valentine Gold Project from further environmental review. The following terms and conditions apply:

  • The proponent must adhere to all mitigation and monitoring commitments in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), submitted November 3, 2020, as well as in the amended EIS submitted August 6, 20,21, and in second amendment to EIS submitted January 7, 2022.
  • Before any mining construction can begin, the proponent must submit an Environmental Protection Plan (EPP), detailing all relevant mining construction activities. Marathon Gold Corporation will periodically update the EPP to reflect the environmental protection and mitigation measures that will apply throughout the life of the Project.
  • Before any mining operations can begin, the proponent must submit an EPP covering all relevant mining operations to the Minister. This EPP will outline the mitigation and environmental protection measures that will be taken throughout the life of the Project to minimize or eliminate any potential negative effects on the environment. It will also be updated by the Proponent as necessary.
  • The proponent shall implement, review, and update the Caribou Protection and Environmental Effects Monitoring Plan in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture (FFA) – Wildlife Division. This review should take place twice per year, at the beginning of each caribou migration.
  • The proponent shall pay for the hiring of one fulltime Environmental Ecologist and one fulltime Environmental Effects Monitor to report to FFA during all phases of the project. FFA may also require additional survey support (i.e. Winter surveys, fall classes and surveys to monitor caribou responses to the project are all covered by the proposal.
  • The proponent shall provide funding annually to support three graduate students during all phases of the project to study specific and cumulative effects.
  • The proponent shall submit a Fish Data Collection Plan for the approval of the FFA – Wildlife Division by May 1, 2022.
  • In collaboration with the Water Resources Management Division of Department of Environment and Climate Change, the proponent shall establish a real-time monitoring network of water resources. This network shall include groundwater monitoring stations, water quality, climate, and water quantity. The proponent will pay all costs associated with the monitoring system and must install the required stations to collect baseline information prior to the project’s commencement and throughout the duration of the project.
  • In the event of a tailings dam breach, the proponent must submit a plan to address the remediation of the Victoria River Valley. This will allow water to back up towards the Victoria Dam before construction can begin.
  • In consultation with NL Hydro, the proponent shall meet at least quarterly with NL Hydro to discuss mutual concerns, including, but not limited, dam safety, blasting and site access.
    • Modeling of the tailings dam breakage that includes outflows from Victoria Reservoir and the development of dam breach flood inundation maps. This will include a range of annual exceedance probabilities floods, where incremental differences might be of greater impact, and further refinements to the model used for analysis. Survey work is also required to establish accurate elevations. The WRMD shall review the modelling before construction can begin.
    • To ensure that the impacts of blasting on the Victoria Dam are not exceeded, a qualified geotechnical engineering will monitor and review ground acceleration and blasting impact monitoring. Before any blasting operations have the potential of affecting existing NL Hydro assets, including Victoria Dam, NL Hydro must be consulted.
    • Notification to NL Hydro of any changes to the project design, site accessibility, or the commencement of major work that could result in increased vehicle traffic along the access road, blasting operations, or any other activities that may affect the operation of NL Hydro, its assets, and the safety of the Victoria Dam.
  • The proponent will continue to investigate the hydraulic conductivity and the Valentine Lake thrust fault. Marathon Gold Corporation will also continue to characterize the Victoria Lake Group rock units. These units must be fully characterized before any mine development can begin. These data will be used to update groundwater models. The new modelling results must be submitted to the WRMD and deemed sufficient by them, before the start of mine construction.
  • The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology needs to develop a Benefits Agreement which meets the approval of Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology. The Benefits Agreement must also contain a Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan, that meets the requirements for the Minister responsible. Marathon Gold Corporation must finalize the Benefits Agreement and Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan and get Ministerial approval before the site activities can begin.
  • The proponent must submit an Outfitter Environmental Impacts Monitoring Plan (OEEMP), in partnership with Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association. This plan must align with the Memorandum of Understanding between Marathon Gold Corporation and NLOA, which was signed on October 4, 2021. The OEEMP must go to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation to be reviewed by the NLOA. Before construction activities can commence, it must be approved and approved by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation.
  • The proponent must construct its facility and maintain it in compliance with the Management of Greenhouse Gas best possible control technology requirements.

Learn more
Environmental Assessment Division
Department of Environment and Climate Change
West Block, Confederation Building
P.O. Box 8700, St. John’s, NL A1B 4J6

Public comments may be forwarded to: [email protected]

Information about environmental assessment is available at:

https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/

https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/files/GUIDE-TO-THE-PROCESS_Dec2021

If you have comments to make on a project under environmental assessment, please inform the Department if you do not wish to share them with the project proponent.

Media contact
Lynn Robinson
Environment and Climate Change
709-729-5449; 691-9466
[email protected]

2022 03 17
1:32 PM

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