Environmental Assessment Bulletin

  • Environment and Climate Change

November 24, 2023

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.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREVIEW REPORT SUBMITTED:

White Hill Pond JCL Quarry                                                                    (Reg. 2246)
Proponent: JCL Investments Inc.

The Proponent has submitted an environmental preview report (EPR) for the above undertaking as required by the minister. The EPR document is available on the department’s webpage at: https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/projects/project-2246/

Public comments regarding the EPR are welcome and may be emailed to the Chair of the Environmental Assessment Committee, Paul Carter, at pcarter@gov.nl.ca, to EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca or they may be mailed to the address below.

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 must be received by December 29, 2023; and the minister’s decision on the EPR is due by January 8, 2023.

UNDERTAKINGS RELEASED:

Crown Zone 6 Five-Year Forestry Operating Plan (2024-2028)     (Reg. 2261)
Proponent:  Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

The project is released from further 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 Climate Change Branch (CCB) of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires the following:
  • A Greenhouse Gas Management Plan (GGMP) must be prepared and submitted for approval by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. A draft plan must be submitted within six months of the date of the minister’s decision letter with the final plan to be submitted within one year of the decision. The plan is expected to 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 modeling regarding climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.
  • The Water Resources Management Division of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires the following:
  • A 30-metre protective buffer around the following active hydrometric stations:
  • Harry’s River below Highway Bridge (Station ID 02YJ001);
  • Isle aux Morts River below Highway Bridge (Station ID 02ZB001);
  • Grandy Brook below Top Pond Brook (Station ID 02ZC002 ); and
  • Rattler Brook near Mclvers (Station ID 02YL005).
  • Prior to the start of forestry operations erosion-susceptible areas in the following flood plain watersheds must be identified to prevent erosion during forest harvesting:
    • Blanche Brook, Warm Brook and Cold Brook watersheds (Stephenville Floodplain Mapping);
    • Harry’s River, St. Georges River, Trout River and Black Duck Brook watersheds (Stephenville Crossing and Black Duck Siding Flood Plain Mapping);
    • Little Codroy River and Grand Codroy River watersheds (Codroy Valley Flood Plain Mapping);
    • Humber River and Steady Brook watersheds (Deer Lake and Steady Brook Flood Plain Mapping);
    • Trout River watershed (Trout River Flood Plain Mapping);
    • Cox’s Brook watershed (Cox’s Cove Floodplain Mapping); and
    • Corner Brook Stream and Bell’s Brook watersheds (Corner Brook Flood Plain Mapping).
  • The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following:
  • The Proponent must work with the Wildlife Division on mitigation measures to avoid roost sites for the Little Brown Myotis and Northern Myotis (bats) species listed as Endangered under the NL Endangered Species Act (NLESA).
  • Black Ash is listed as Threatened under the NLESA and Western Newfoundland is considered part of the species’ core range. Mitigation measures that are in place for Red Pine (including avoidance of cutting, trimming) during road construction, site preparation, or harvesting activities also apply for Black Ash.
  • Degelia plumbea is a lichen species listed as Vulnerable under the NLESA. There are known occurrences of this lichen within the operating area CC14021. The Proponent must work with the Wildlife Division to determine survey protocols and conduct a presence/absence survey for Degelia plumbea prior to any clearing activity to confirm the need for mitigations such as buffering and protection.
  • Block CC14061 is located within Marten Critical Habitat, and a deferred harvest is required until a down-listed management plan for Marten is in place.
  • A designated Sensitive Wildlife Area for endangered plants and species of conservation concern, which also serves as a Significant Wetland known as Robinson’s River and Middle Barachois River, overlaps with Forest Management Plan block CC14018. Any proposed harvesting north of the transmission line and south/southwest of the resource road must be avoided.
  • The Provincial Archaeology Office of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation requires a 100-metre buffer along the shoreline of South Brook and Lomond River, as shown in operating area mapping for CC15026 and CC15005 respectively, to ensure archaeological resources are not negatively impacted.
  • The Proponent must advise the Environmental Assessment Division when the conditions of release have been met, by e-mailing a written description, document, 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 release, and to provide additional updates if required.

Conne River Bridge Replacement                                                         (Reg. 2269)
Proponent: Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

The project is released from further 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:

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

https://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.

2023 11 24 4:35 pm