The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, has announced the following relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.
UNDERTAKINGS REGISTERED:
Cape Ray Gold Mine (Reg. 2224)
Proponent: Matador Mining Ltd.
The proponent proposes to develop a gold mine on the south west coast of Newfoundland, approximately 18 kilometres north of Isle aux Morts, and 25 kilometres northeast of Channel-Port aux Basques. The project consists of four main open pits, waste rock piles, a tailings management facility, ore processing and mining facilities, accommodations, and supporting infrastructure. The mine will have a production capacity of 3,600 tonnes per day with potential expansion to 10,000 tonnes per day, and an expected mine life of 10 years. A description of the project can be found on the department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/eccm/env-assessment/projects-list/.
The undertaking was registered on November 18, 2022; the deadline for public comment is December 23, 2022; and the minister’s decision is due by January 2, 2023.
Flat Bay Quarry (Reg. 2223)
Proponent: Point Turf Resources Ltd.
The proponent proposes to develop and operate a six-hectare gravel and aggregate quarry approximately four kilometres southeast of the community of Flat Bay. The quarry would be located within an area previously operated as a gypsum mine site and would produce gravel and backfill materials for the construction industry. Backfill materials would also be used to maintain the proponent’s private haul road which extends to their ship loading facility in St George’s. Site development would include vegetation clearing, grubbing and stripping, and operations would include crushing, screening and stockpiling. The quarry is proposed to operate seasonally, between April and November. A description of the project can be found on the department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/eccm/env-assessment/projects-list/.
The undertaking was registered on November 16, 2022; the deadline for public comment is December 23, 2022; and the minister’s decision is due by December 31, 2022.
Undertaking Released:
Baie Verte Stog’er Tight Expansion – 278 Open Pit Mine (Reg. 2216)
Proponent: Signal Gold Inc.
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 proponent shall enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Water Resources Management Division of the Department of Environment and Climate Change for the installation of a real-time water quality/quantity network to monitor impacts on water flows and quality downstream of the project. The proponent is to bear all costs associated with the monitoring network and must install the required network prior to site operation activities.
- The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture (FFA) requires the following:
- The proponent must submit a Fish Relocation Plan and Fish Habitat Offsetting Plan for approval by the FFA Wildlife Division prior to implementation. Both plans must include specific mitigations with respect to American eel (Anguilla rostrata) as this species is listed as Vulnerable under the NL Endangered Species Act (2006) (and designated as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (2012)).
- The proponent must consult with the FFA Wildlife Division on required bat colony survey protocols prior to any tree clearing occurring during the period from April 15 to September 30. If a bat colony or overwintering/hibernacula site is discovered within the project area, activities must halt and the FFA Wildlife Division must be immediately contacted at 709-637-2025 or by emailing endangeredspecies@gov.nl.ca.
- For slopes less than 30 per cent, a minimum 30 metre naturally vegetated riparian buffer zone shall be established around all waterbodies, from the high water mark, that are identified on either the 1:50,000 scale National Topographic System maps, or the topographic mapping layer shown in the Provincial Land Use Atlas. No land use activities involving grubbing, ground or soil disturbance, or timber harvesting activities will take place in this zone.
- For slopes greater than 30 per cent, there shall be a naturally vegetated riparian buffer zone calculated using the following formula: 30 metres + 1.5 metres x slope (per cent). No land use activities involving grubbing, ground or soil disturbance or timber harvesting activities will take place in this zone.
- No vegetation clearing is to occur within 800 meters of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) and 200 meters 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) 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 the release letter and to provide additional updates if requested.
UNDERTAKING WITHDRAWN:
St. Lewis River Atlantic Salmon Habitat Enhancement Project (Reg. 2032)
Proponent: Atlantic Rivers Outfitting Company
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
Debbie Marnell
Environment and Climate Change
709-729-2575, 699-9048
debbiemarnell@gov.nl.ca