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

Undertaking REGISTERED:

Deer Lake Dairy Secondary Processing Facility                              (Reg. 2203)
Proponent: The Real Dairy Company of Newfoundland Ltd.

The proponent proposes to construct and operate a dairy secondary processing facility to process raw milk into butter and skim milk powder. The facility would process raw product collected primarily from local dairy farms in the areas of Cormack, Deer Lake and Bay St. George.  The facility would be located on 4-hectares of land in the Veteran’s Memorial Industrial Park, Deer Lake. Products would be available for local, national and international markets.  A description of the project can be found on the Department’s web page at www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projects-list/.

The undertaking was registered on June 28, 2022; the deadline for public comment is August 8, 2022; and the minister’s decision is due by August 12, 2022.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:

Star Lake to Valentine Gold Transmission Line TL271 Project    (Reg. 2136)
Proponent: Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

The project was released subject to the following conditions:

• The proponent is required to uphold all commitments made in the environmental assessment submissions to mitigate the effects of the Project on the environment.
• This release pertains specifically to the construction and operation of the preferred route as described in the Environmental Preview Report.
• The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture (FFA) requires the following:
  • Vegetation and construction work schedules shall be coordinated based on the most recent camera and collar (live) data to ensure actual sensitive wildlife/ caribou times are avoided;
• A copy of NL Hydro’s Environmental Protection Plan shall be provided to FFA for review and shall include details on how observation of caribou within 500m of Project activities will be accomplished;
• Surveys for bat maternity colonies/roosts shall occur prior to tree removal during the active season (May 01 to Sept 30) and survey results must be approved by FFA.
• The proponent shall consult the Wildlife Division regarding any in-water activities / construction that will occur during sensitive fisheries timing windows;
• The proponent shall submit a digital GIS file of the completed right of way, culvert, bridge locations and access roads (clearly identifying decommissioned and non-decommissioned sections) to FFA prior to the start of Project construction.
• The Electricity and Alternative Energy Division of the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology advises that, as Marathon Gold Corporation will be the sole customer of TL271, the proponent shall ensure that other ratepayers are protected from the rate impact of the Project, including the cost of decommissioning the line (TL271).
• 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.
• 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.

Hampden Residential Property (Fred Osmond)                                (Reg. 2198)
Proponent: Fred Osmond

The project was 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.
• 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). The location of any raptor nest site must be reported to the Wildlife Division.
• 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) to demonstrate 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, within one year from the date of this release letter and to provide additional updates, if requested.

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: EAprojectcomments@gov.nl.ca

Environmental assessment information is available at:

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

www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/files/GUIDE-TO-THE-PROCESS_May-2022.pdf

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @ECC_GovNL

If you submit comments on a project that is under environmental assessment, please advise the Department if you DO NOT wish to share your comments with the project proponent.

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