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:

Paddy’s Pond Concrete Batch Plant                                                    (Reg. 2292)
Proponent: Farrell’s Excavating Limited

The Proponent is proposing to establish and operate a temporary concrete batch plant in their existing quarry location within the City of St. John’s. The batch plant would be installed within the quarry’s 6.5-hectare boundary and would produce an anticipated 5000 cubic metres of ready-mix cement over the course of 8-12 months. Construction would include levelling the site and the installation of stone footings for the temporary batch plant. Produced concrete would be sold or transported for use in regional construction Projects. A description of the Project can be found on the department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projects-list/.

The undertaking was registered on March 13, 2024; the deadline for public comment is April 19, 2024; and the minister’s decision is due by April 27, 2024.

Comments may be sent to: EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca

Salmon Pond ATV Trail and Cottage                                                    (Reg.2293)
Proponent: Paul Saunders

The Proponent is proposing to restore a pre-existing logging trail off the Salmon Pond Resource Road to provide access to a private cottage located 2.8 kilometres off the Trans-Canada Highway Northwest of Glenwood. The trail is approximately 840 metres in length and would require minor brush maintenance. A description of the Project can be found on the department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projects-list/.

The undertaking was registered on March 14, 2024; the deadline for public comment is April 19, 2024, and the minister’s decision is due by April 28, 2024.

Comments may be sent to: EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca

Crown Zone 3 Five-Year Operating Plan
District 4 Amendment (2022-2026)                                                    (Reg. 2294)
Proponent: Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture              

The Proponent is proposing an amendment to the Crown Zone 3 Five-Year Operating Plan (2022-2026). The Project includes the creation of a new commercial harvest block in District 4 located approximately 17 kilometres southwest of the town of Terra Nova. The amendment would allow access to an additional 1,081 hectares of forested land and 45,000 cubic metres of harvestable timber. Access to the area would be via an existing forestry road and road infrastructure constructed in association with the Labrador-Island Link Project. No new primary road construction is planned, and the district’s sustainable harvest level would be balanced by reducing harvesting elsewhere in the district. A description of the Project can be found on the department’s webpage at: www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/env-assessment/projects-list/.

The undertaking was registered on March 14, 2024; the deadline for public comment is April 19, 2024, and the minister’s decision is due by April 28, 2024.

Comments may be sent to: EAProjectComments@gov.nl.ca

UNDERTAKING RELEASED:
Portugal Cove South to Cape Race Multiuse Trail                           (Reg. 2288)
Proponent: Town of Portugal Cove South

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 Pollution Prevention Division (PPD) of the Department of Environment and Climate Change requires a Waste Management Plan (WMP) for the construction and operation phases of the undertaking to be approved by the PPD prior to Project construction.
• The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture requires the following;
  • The Wildlife Division requires that an Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) must be submitted and approved prior to Project construction. The EPP must include the following;
    • Measures that will be implemented to prevent adverse effects of the Project on water crossings and wetlands, in accordance with the Off-Road Vehicles Act and regulations, Guidelines for Water Course Crossings and in alignment with Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Information on Projects Near Water and Best Management Practices for the Protection of Freshwater Fish Habitat in Newfoundland and Labrador.
    • Measures that will be implemented to prohibit trail-braiding/fanning out from the main trail by ATVs, and enforcement to prevent ATV use on wetland and barren habitats.
    • Measures that will be undertaken to mitigate adverse effects on caribou during Project construction and operation.
    • Measures that will be undertaken to mitigate adverse effects of the Project on avifauna species at risk, including Short-eared Owls, Bobolink, Red Crossbill, and Common Nighthawk during Project  construction and operation.

• • The Proponent is required to submit a presence/absence survey for short-eared owls completed by a qualified independent third party, preferably between late June and late July of the construction year, prior to the start of construction.
• • 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) or within 200 metres during the remainder of the year. The 200-metre buffer 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 sites shall be reported to the Wildlife Division.
• • Digital geospatial data (e.g., a GPS file) of the final trail must be submitted to the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture once construction is complete.
• The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation requires that GPS coordinates for the trail and plans for trail design and construction are to be submitted and approved by Tourism Product Development prior to Project 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.

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_Jan-2024.pdf

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @ECC_GovNL 

Project comments may be sent 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.