The Honourable Bernard Davis has announced the following events related to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of Environmental Protection Act.
REGISTERED UNDERTAKING:
Placentia Bay Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Facility (Reg. 2177)
Marine Terminal
Proponent: LNG Newfoundland and Labrador Limited
The proponent proposes to supply international energy markets liquefied natural gases from offshore provinces. The undertaking would include an off-shore gas hub in Jeanne dArc Basin and a natural gaz pipeline from the Jeanne dArc Basin and Grassy Point (Peninsula Bay), as well as a natural liquefaction plant and marine export terminal at Grassy Point.
The undertaking was created on November 23, 2021. The deadline for public comments is December 30, 2021. And, the minister’s decision is due no later than January 7, 2022.
Environmental Preview Report Guidelines Issued:
Foxtrap Incinerator Route Naturally Occurring Radioactive (Reg. 2166)
Material Storage and Decontamination Facility
Pardys Waste Management Limited and Industrial Services Limited are the Proponents
The final guidelines for preparing the environmental preview (EPR), for Foxtrap Incinerator Road NORM Storage and Decontamination Facility Project, have been approved by minister. The EPR guidelines provide 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 https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/projects/project-2166/ or by contacting the Chair of the Environmental Assessment Committee, Vicki Ficzere at [email protected].
UNDERTAKINGS RELOADED:
Argentia Seafood Processing Plants (Reg. 2172)
Proponent: Dandy Dans Fish Market Ltd.
The following conditions were applied to the release of the project:
- The proponent is responsible for ensuring that all environmental assessments submitted are met in order to reduce the environmental impacts of the project.
- The Pollution Prevention Division of Department of Environment and Climate Change demands that all solid and liquid waste be managed by the proponent. The Waste Management Plan should include the anticipated volumes of waste that will be produced and copies of any letters of agreements between the proponents and facilities accepting waste.
- The Office of Women and Gender Equality demands that the proposal submit a Womens employment plan (WEP) to this project. It must be approved and signed by the Deputy Minister of the Office. The WEP should identify specific commitments to support recruitment, training, employment, and retention of women.
- 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 the release letter. Additional updates may be required if necessary.
Middle Barachois Brook Enhancement Project (Reg. 2170)
Proponent: World Wildlife Fund Canada
The following conditions apply to the project:
- The proponent must keep all commitments made in the submission of an environmental assessment to reduce the environmental impacts of the project.
- The proponent is required by the Environmental Assessment Division to update them on the status and approvals of the project. This must be done within one-year from the date of the release letter. Additional updates can be provided if necessary.
Crown Zone 3 Five Year Forestry Operating Plan (2022-2026). (Reg. 2152)
Proponent: Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
The following conditions were applied to the release of the project:
- To minimize the environmental impacts of the project, the proponent is required by law to keep all commitments made in the submission for the environmental assessment.
- The proponent is responsible for ensuring that the commitments in the annual operating plan and the environmental assessment registration documents with respect to reforestation are upheld.
- A minimum of 75-metres of buffer must be maintained above the high water mark on both sides of Gander River’s main stem, below Gander Lake.
- The Climate Change Branch of Department of Environment and Climate Change demands that a Greenhouse gas management plan be prepared and submitted to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. A draft of this plan must be submitted within one year of the date of the Minister’s decision with an update on the progress of this plan to be submitted within six months. The plan should include:
- Any carbon modeling that has been used or will be used to guide forest management planning
- Projections of 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 Department of Environment and Climate Change has established a 30-meter buffer around hydrometric stations.
- Southwest Brook at Lewisporte (02Y0012)
- Salmon River near Glenwood, (02YQ005)
- Gander River at Big Chute (02YQ001),
- Indian Bay Brook, Northwest Arm (02YR003)
- Middle Brook near Gambo (02YR001),
- Terra Nova River at Glovertown, 02YS005, and
- Triton Brook is above Gambo Pond (02YR004).
- The Natural Areas Program of Department of Environment and Climate Change requires all commercial forestry activity and roadwork in the Indian Arm Brook Area of Interest be delayed to allow for the completion of the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act process. This is being led by the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Advisory Council in consultation with the Department of Environment and Climate Change. This Area of Interest is being considered as a Protected Area under Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act. A map of the area can be found in the attached document, Comments for the Proponent. The proposed harvest must not overlap in the Swan Islands reserve.
- The following is required by the Wildlife Division of Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
- The Wildlife Division must be consulted by the proponent to reduce impacts on caribou in Zone 3: CC04005,CC06215 and CC06216. Before any activities in these areas are undertaken, the Wildlife Division must approve all annual operating plans. The Wildlife Division will propose conservation targets to reduce impacts on the caribou core areas of calving for the Mount Peyton herds, Pot Hill herds and the Hodges Hill herd.
- The Marten Critical Habitat overlaps with the operating areas CC05010 and CC05011. The Wildlife Division requires that vegetation be cleared or excessive noise not be made during the Marten Critical Habitat period (which runs from April through June). This is to reduce any adverse impacts on marten. The Marten Recovery Plan 2010 warns that disturbances could have negative effects on the survival or condition of young and denning females.
- The Crown Land Administration Division of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture needs the following:
- Parts of the proposed Forestry Operation Plan lie within cottage planning or cottage development areas. The proponent must create a 100-meter buffer around cottage development areas. They should also consult with the Land Management Division in order to determine if there are land use conflicts.
- The proponent should be aware of any Crown applications and Crown titles. They are also advised to consult the Land Use Atlas. https://www.gov.nl.ca/ffa/gis/lua/ or with the Land Management Division to determine if there are any land use conflicts.
- Private land may exist within the project area that is not recorded with the Crown Land Administration Division. Permission is required from land owners if work is to be done on private land. Access is not to be blocked. All domestic harvest areas must be kept clear of private land. To determine if any private land is within the proposed plan, the proponent should consult the Crown Lands Administration Division.
- The Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires that the proponent maintain a buffer of 50 meters near waterbodies where shellfish aquaculture operations are carried out. The Aquaculture Division will collaborate with the Forestry and Wildlife Branch in determining the locations of aquaculture leases.
- The following are required by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation:
- The proponent is to coordinate forest management efforts with outfitters during the big game season from September 15- December 31 and the spring bear harvest, which occurs from May 1 – July 15.
- The proposal must submit a Tourism Stakeholder Consultation Plan (Consultation Plan), which will report on consultations with stakeholders. The Consultation Plan will outline the potential impacts of forestry operations upon each tourism stakeholder. It will also describe how harvesting and road construction will be modified to minimize any adverse impacts on tourism stakeholder values. This includes but is not limited to: wildlife populations, hunting success rates, pristine wilderness settings and increased access for local residents. Before forestry operations can be conducted, the Consultation Plan must first be approved by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation. If the consultation plan is derived through the EngageNL process. Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation would love to review it with Fisheries Forestry and Agriculture in order to ensure that all stakeholders are represented.
- The Trans Canada Highway and Route 330 must be maintained and protected by the proponent. Landscape design techniques should be used to reduce visibility to motoring public when cutting blocks are visible from these routes. The Manager of Tourism Product Development should be consulted by the proponent regarding efforts to minimize visibility of clear cut from these routes.
- The proponent must keep its promise to meet with Freshwater-Alexander Bays Ecosystem Corporation in order to discuss concerns regarding proposed access roads, road decommissioning, and salmonids, as well as public consultation.
- The proponent must inform the Environmental Assessment Division of the fulfillment of the conditions of release by emailing a written description, documents and images (where applicable), to show that they have.
- The proponent must update the Environmental Assessment Division about the project’s status within one year of the date of the release letter. Additional updates may be required if necessary.
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]
Environmental assessment information: https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/
Follow us on twitter: @GovNLAnd @ECCM_GovNL
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]
2021 11 25
3:25 PM