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.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREVIEW REPORT SUBMITTED:

Hammerdown Gold Mine                                                     (Reg. 2091)
Proponent: Maritime Resources Corporation

The proponent has submitted the environmental preview report (EPR) for the Hammerdown Gold Mine as required by the minister. The EPR document is available on the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities website at www.gov.nl.ca/eccm/projects/project-2091/. Public comments regarding the EPR are welcome and must be received by April 14, 2021. Public comments may be sent to the Chair of the Assessment Committee, Paul Carter, at (709) 729-0188, by email at pcarter@gov.nl.ca or to EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca. They may also be mailed to the address below. The minister’s decision on the EPR is due by April 18, 2021.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREVIEW REPORT REQUIRED AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE APPOINTED:

White Hill Pond Quarry                                                                 (Reg. 1828)
Proponent: Cabot Ready Mix Limited

The minister has advised the proponent that an environmental preview report (EPR) is required for the project. Additional information is needed to inform the minister of potential environmental effects of the project, including, but not limited to a description of the proposed access route to the quarry, a water management plan and a viewscape management plan. An Environmental Assessment Committee has been appointed to provide scientific and technical advice to the minister and to draft guidelines for the proponent for conducting the EPR. The Environmental Assessment Committee includes representation from the following provincial government agencies:

• Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities
  • Environmental Assessment Division – Committee Chairperson
  • Water Resources Management Division

• Department of Industry, Energy and Technology
  • Mineral Lands Division

• Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Highway Design and Construction Division

UNDERTAKING RELEASED:

Crown Zone 5 Five-year Forestry Operating Plan (2021-2025)          (Reg. 2108)
Proponent:  Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

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.

• The Climate Change Branch of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities (ECCM) requires a Greenhouse Gas Management Plan to be submitted for approval by the minister of ECCM. A draft of the plan must be submitted within one year of the date of the decision letter with an update on the progress of the plan to be submitted in six months. The plan should include:
  • Any carbon modeling that has been or will be used to inform forest management planning;
  • Projections on the level of greenhouse gas emissions that are anticipated to be captured and/or released over the five year period; and,
  • A description of how forest management will be informed by carbon modelling with regard to climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.

• The Water Resources Management Division (WRMD) of ECCM advises that a 30-metre buffer must be maintained around the hydrometric stations at East Pond Brook below East Pond (02YO015); Tributary to Gills Pond Brook (02YO014); Peters River near Botwood (02YO006); Great Rattling Brook above Tote River Confluence (02YO008); Exploits River at Badger Steps (NLENCM0001); and Badger Brook below Foot Bridge (02YO019).

• The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture (FFA) requires the following measures to be implemented to mitigate the potential effects of the project on woodland caribou and their habitat:
  • No harvesting in primary core caribou areas;
  • In secondary core caribou areas, at least 30 per cent of suitable forest cover must remain intact and harvesting is prohibited during the calving and post calving period (May 15 – August 15) within secondary spring and summer core caribou areas; and,
  • Eleven operating areas outside of the previously identified core caribou areas have been identified as important for caribou migration for large herds, or as calving areas for smaller resident herds. Harvesting must be modified to maintain important caribou habitat in the areas (see updated tables and maps in the attached plan). The modified areas are CC10001, CC10002, CC10003, CC11001, CC11002, CC11004, CC11005, CC12001, CC13001, and  CC13003.

• FFA requires the following measures to be implemented to mitigate the potential effects of the project on the island population of Newfoundland marten:
  • All commercial forest operations (including road building) within identified marten critical habitat must be scheduled post June 30 in order to avoid the critical denning period for marten; and,
  • Permits for areas designated for domestic harvest that fall within marten critical and core (recovery) habitat must state that no harvesting is to occur between April 1 and June 30, which is a critical denning period for marten.

• The Natural Areas Program requires that other than grading or ditching as required, there is to be no further development of Sepepet Lake Road, which crosses the Stony Lake Reserve, as proposed under the Protected Areas Plan.

• The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology (IET) advises that a portion of the southernmost proposed road segment in block CC10011 cannot be used, as it passes through a quarry permit held by a private party. The quarry permit holder is required, as a condition of their permit, to restrict access to their site (refer to map 3 provided by the Mines Branch). An alternative route was provided, which passes around the margin of the area covered by the quarry permit and between the three areas under quarry permit at this location. Most of the replacement route has been constructed, however, from the imagery it appears that additional construction may be needed along the last stretch of the route that would reconnect it with the pre-existing route.

• The Provincial Archaeology Office advises that 100-metre buffers are required on Red Indian Lake, Victoria River and Exploits River, and 30-metre buffers are required on Mary March Brook and Noel Paul’s Brook. Should historic resources such as archaeological sites, objects or significant fossils be found in any of the impacted areas, activity must cease immediately and contact be made with the Provincial Archaeology Office, as soon as possible.

• The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation (TCAR) requires the  preparation and submission of a Tourism Stakeholder Consultation Plan that will report on the consultations to be conducted by Forestry officials with tourism operators and outfitters as committed in the five–year operating plan. The consultation plan will identify the impacts of forestry operations on each tourism stakeholder and describe how harvesting, road construction and silviculture activities will be modified to minimize potential impacts to tourism stakeholder values, which include but are not limited to wildlife populations, hunting success rates, pristine and remote wilderness settings, and increased access by local residents. Efforts to coordinate forestry operations with the big game season and spring bear harvest should be included where applicable. TCAR will provide a list of potentially impacted tourism stakeholders and the Tourism Stakeholder Consultation Plan must be reviewed and approved by the TCAR minister prior to conducting forestry operations.

• TCAR requires you to utilize landscape design techniques along the Trans Canada Highway to minimize the negative visual effects of clear cuts. It is recommended that Forestry officials continue to have direct consultations with the Manager of Sector Development in efforts to minimize the visibility of clear cuts.

• The proponent is required to advise the Environmental Assessment Division when each of the conditions of release has been met, if required, by emailing a written description, documents, and images (where applicable) to demonstrate that the conditions have been fulfilled to EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca.

• 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 within one year from the date of this release letter and to provide additional updates if requested. Project updates should be mailed to EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca.

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.mae.gov.nl.ca/env_assessment/

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