The Honourable Derek Bennett, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

UNDERTAKING REGISTERED:

Lumsden Heritage Farm                                                              (Reg. 2104)
Proponent: Cordell’s Heritage Farm Inc.                             

The proponent is proposing to develop a 26-hectare commercial farm near Lumsden, off Route 330. The farm will include an orchard, as well as vegetable and livestock production. The project will include the construction of a greenhouse, market, and a parking lot.

The undertaking was registered on October 21, 2020; the deadline for public comments is November 28, 2020; and the minister’s decision is due by December 5, 2020.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:
Piper’s Hole Sand and Gravel Quarries                                  (Reg. 2087)
Proponent: Hickey’s Contracting (1989) Ltd.

The project is released subject to the following conditions:

• The proponent is required to uphold all commitments made in the environmental assessment submission to mitigate the effects of the project on the environment.
• A Water Resources Management Plan must be prepared and submitted to the Water Resources Management Division for review and approval, prior to commencing any work related to this project. The Water Resources Management Plan should address the following concerns:
  • if there are any brooks, rivers, ponds, streams or wetlands, present in or within 30 metres of the boundaries of the project site, then please provide the type of water body and its distance from the site;
  • if any of the above-mentioned water bodies are impacted by site operation, describe how the water body will be impacted;
  • a permit/licence from the Water Resources Management Division, may be required;
  • if there is any potential of onsite drainage water, or dewatering water to discharge into a natural water body,  describe what precautionary measures, such as vegetative cover, filter strip, or silt curtain, are to be deployed to ensure the effluent or runoff meets the requirement of the Environmental Control Water and Sewage Regulations, 2003.
• The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following:
  • 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); and,
  • a minimum 30-metre undisturbed buffer along all waterbodies and wetlands that appear on a 1:50,000 topo map to protect sensitive riparian and aquatic species, and their habitat.
• The proponent is required to advise the Environmental Assessment Division when the conditions of release have been met, by emailing a written description, documents, and images (where applicable) demonstrating that the conditions have been fulfilled.
• The proponent is required to update the Environmental Assessment Division on the status of the project, including a copy of all permits, licences, certificates, approvals and other authorizations required for the project, one year from the date of this release letter and to provide additional updates if requested.

Learn more
Environmental Assessment Division
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities
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.gov.nl.ca/eccm/env-assessment/

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Media contact
Lynn Robinson
Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities
709-729-5449; 691-9466
lynnrobinson@gov.nl.ca