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 RELEASED:

Valentine Gold Project Expansion – Berry Pit                                  (Reg. 2262)
Proponent: Marathon Gold Corp
The project is released from environmental assessment subject to the following conditions:

• The Proponent must uphold all commitments made in the environmental assessment submission to mitigate the effects of the project on the environment.The Water Resources Management Division (WRMD) of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires the following prior to the start of construction:
  • A Water Resources Management Plan submitted to and approved by the WRMD;
  • An updated baseline groundwater quality and quantity report for the Berry Pit area that encompasses all seasonal variations;
  • A report on hydrogeological testing of the Berry Pit including testing of the faults/structures and verification that the Berry Pit is suitable (low permeability) for in-pit tailings storage; and
  • Installation of additional real-time stations.  Terms and conditions for the additional real time stations will be stipulated in the regulatory permits to be issued for this expansion under the Water Resources Act. The Proponent is to bear all capital, operational and maintenance costs associated with the monitoring network.
• The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following:
  • Marathon Gold Corporation must continue to collect data at the Valentine Gold project site (EA Reg. #2015) and at the Berry Pit project area in co-operation with the Wildlife Division, and assess the degree of caribou response to existing/approved disturbances/obstacles to inform whether additional mitigations at Berry Pit are needed;
  • The Caribou Protection and Environmental Effects Mitigation Plan is to be reviewed with the Wildlife Division and required mitigations are to be implemented prior to project construction. The efficacy of mitigations must be reported to the Wildlife Division prior to each migration period, and adaptive management implemented as needed;
  • Data collection and monitoring must be undertaken at the Berry Pit  site in cooperation with the Wildlife Division, in addition to data collection and monitoring required at the Valentine Gold project site (EA Reg. # 2015), to enable analysis and evaluation of responses from migrating and resident caribou to new and ongoing activities and changes in landscape features.
  • A targeted Short-eared Owl survey must be completed within the Combined Project Area during the next breeding season, and provided to FFA for review. Further mitigations may be required.
  • A targeted Common Nighthawk survey must be completed within the Combined Project Area during the next breeding season, and provided to FFA for review. Further mitigations may be required.
  • Marathon Gold Corporation must update the Mitigation Measures Plans outlined in Appendix 2E of the environmental assessment submission in consultation with, and for the approval of, the Wildlife Division for the lifetime of the project.
• The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology requires the Newfoundland and Labrador Benefits Agreement for the Valentine Gold Project to be updated to include the Berry Pit. The updates must be completed in consultation with, and for the approval of, the Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology. The updated Benefits Agreement must include an updated Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan that meets the requirements of the Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equality. Marathon Gold Corporation is required to finalize the Benefits Agreement and Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan and obtain Ministerial approval prior to the start of construction.
• The Proponent must advise the Environmental Assessment Division when the conditions of release have been met, by e-mailing a written description, documents, and images (where applicable) to demonstrate that the conditions have been fulfilled
• The Proponent must 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 required.

Humber Village Forage Production                                                     (Reg. 2267)
Proponent: Briarside Affair Limited
The project is released from environmental assessment subject to the following conditions:

• The Proponent must uphold all commitments made in the environmental assessment submission to mitigate the effects of the project on the environment.
• The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following:
  • Under the Newfoundland and Labrador Endangered Species Act (NL ESA) Black Ash has recently been listed as “Threatened,” and Blue Felt Lichen has been recently been listed “Vulnerable.” The Wildlife Division requires a pre-clearing survey for Black-Ash as well as any large (> 25 cm DBH) deciduous trees on the project site, as the Blue Felt Lichen can be found on large trees (> 25 cm DBH) of any deciduous species. Survey results must be presented to the Wildlife Division for further consultation regarding potential lichen occurrences and to discuss, if needed, mitigations/requirements for black ash prior to clearing activities.
  • Vegetation clearing is not to occur within 800 metres of a bald eagle or osprey nest during the nesting season (March 15 to July 31) and within 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.
  • A minimum 30-metre undisturbed riparian buffer must be maintained from the high water mark of all wetlands and waterbodies within and adjacent to the project 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, to protect sensitive riparian and aquatic species and their habitats.
• The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology requires that the access road route be amended to avoid an active quarry site.
• The Proponent must advise the Environmental Assessment Division when the conditions of release have been met, by e-mailing a written description, documents, and images (where applicable) to demonstrate that the conditions have been fulfilled.
• The Proponent must 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 required.

Long Lake Water Control Structure Decommissioning                 (Reg. 2268)
Proponent: Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro

The project is released from environmental assessment subject to the following conditions:

• The Proponent must uphold all commitments made in the environmental assessment submission to mitigate the effects of the project on the environment.
• The Proponent must 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 required.

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

Environmental assessment information is available at:

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

www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/files/GUIDE-TO-THE-PROCESS_September-2023.pdf

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @ECC_GovNL

Project comments may be forwarded to: EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca

Anyone submitting comments on a project under environmental assessment is asked to please advise the Department if they DO NOT wish to have their comments shared with the project Proponent.