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NICTAUX QUARRY EXPANSION, NICTAUX, ANNAPOLIS CO.,NS, Registration Document for a Class 1 Undertaking Under Section 9 (1) of the NS Environment Assessment Regulations April, 2015 Environmental Assessment Registration Document for Nictaux Quarry Expansion April 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 3 2.0 THE UNDERTAKING ................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Name .................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 Location ............................................................................................................. 4 3.0 SCOPE OF THE UNDERTAKING ............................................................................... 5 3.1 Purpose/Need for The Undertaking ................................................................. 6 3.2 Consideration of Alternatives .......................................................................... 6 3.3 Scope of the Environmental Assessment ....................................................... 6 4.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ............................................................................................. 6 4.1 Methods of Involvement ................................................................................... 6 4.2 Public Concerns ............................................................................................... 7 4.3 Future Steps ...................................................................................................... 7 5.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE UNDERTAKING .................................................................... 8 5.1 Human Uses of the Environment ..................................................................... 8 5.1.1 Mi’Kmaq .................................................................................................... 8 5.1.2 Population and Economy ........................................................................... 9 5.1.3 Water Supply and Residential Wells .......................................................... 9 5.1.4 Land Use ................................................................................................... 9 5.1.5 Hunting ...................................................................................................... 9 5.1.6 Recreational, Commercial and Mi’Kmaq Fishing ...................................... 10 5.1.7 Archaeological and Paleontological Resources ....................................... 10 5.1.8 Parks and Protected Areas ...................................................................... 10 5.1.9 Recreational/Cultural Activities ................................................................ 10 5.1.10 Residential/Commercial Development ................................................. 10 5.1.11 Tourism and Viewscape ...................................................................... 11 5.1.12 Transportation ..................................................................................... 11 5.2 Existing Quarry Operations ........................................................................... 12 5.3 Future Quarry Operations .............................................................................. 12 6.0 VALUED ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS AND EFFECTS MANAGEMENT ...... 13 6.1 Socioeconomic Impacts ................................................................................. 14 6.1.1 Mi’Kmaq .................................................................................................. 14 6.1.2 Recreational Activities ............................................................................. 14 6.1.3 Tourism and Viewscape ........................................................................... 15 6.1.4 Recreational Fishing ................................................................................ 15 6.1.5 Archaeological/Cultural/Historical ............................................................ 15 6.1.6 Land Use and Value ................................................................................ 15 6.1.7 Transportation ......................................................................................... 15 6.1.8 Residential Use ....................................................................................... 16 6.1.9 Water Supplies and Residential Wells ..................................................... 16 6.1.10 Parks and Protected Areas .................................................................. 17 6.1.11 Resource Use—Forestry & Trapping ................................................... 17 6.2 Biophysical Impacts––Impacts of the Project on the Environment ............ 17 6.2.1 Air Quality and Noise ............................................................................... 17 6.2.2 Geology /Hydrogeology ........................................................................... 18 6.2.3 Hydrology ................................................................................................ 19 6.2.4 Water Quality ........................................................................................... 19 6.2.5 Freshwater Aquatic Environments ........................................................... 20 i Environmental Assessment Registration Document for Nictaux Quarry Expansion April 2015 6.2.6 Wetlands ................................................................................................. 20 6.2.7 Fish and Fish Habitat ............................................................................... 20 6.2.8 Flora and Fauna and Habitat ................................................................... 21 6.2.9 Species at Risk ........................................................................................ 21 6.3. Other Undertakings in the Area ..................................................................... 21 7.0 IMPACTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE PROJECT .......................................... 27 8.0 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ........................................................................................... 27 9.0 MONITORING ............................................................................................................ 28 10.0 PUBLIC CONSULTATION ......................................................................................... 28 11.0 PROJECT CLOSURE ................................................................................................ 28 12.0 APPROVAL OF UNDERTAKING .............................................................................. 28 13.0 FUNDING ................................................................................................................... 28 14.0 SIGNATURE OF CEO AND DATE ............................................................................ 28 FIGURES Figure 1 - Project Location ...................................................................................................... 4 Figure 2 - Site Location and Adjacent Land Uses.................................................................. 5 DRAWINGS Drawing 1 Site Location Plan (Appendix B) Drawing 2 Proposed Future Build Out (Appendix B) TABLES Table 1 Valued Environmental Components (VECs) for Nictaux Quarry Expansion .........14 Table 2 Potential interactions between project activities and operations and Valued Environmental Components (VECs) for Nictaux Quarry Expansion ....................... 22 Table 3 Summary of impacts and mitigation on Valued Ecosystem Components ............ 23 APPENDICES Appendix A Property Information Appendix B Figures and Drawings Appendix C Rock Sulphur Content Analysis Results Appendix D Biophysical Assessment Report (Envirosphere, 2013) Appendix E Cultural Resource Management Report (CRM, 2013) Appendix F Public Consultation Documentation ii Environmental Assessment Registration Document for Nictaux Quarry Expansion April 2015 1.0 INTRODUCTION Dexter Construction Company Limited (herein after referred to as “Dexter”) of Bedford, Nova Scotia is proposing to expand the existing Nictaux quarry located at 93 Wanda Lynn Drive, Nictaux, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. An approval to expand the quarry is required under the Nova Scotia Environmental Assessment Regulations. The registration of this Environmental Assessment is in response to Schedule A of the Environmental Assessment Regulations, Undertaking B.2., “A pit or quarry that is larger than 4 ha. in area for extracting building or construction stone.” The existing active quarry area encompasses 3.93 ha. and the proposed total EA area is 21.9 ha. Dexter is a private Canadian company. It is incorporated under the laws of Nova Scotia and registered to do business in Nova Scotia under the Nova Scotia Corporations Registration Act. Dexter’s Registry of Joint Stock Certificate is attached in Appendix A “Property Information”. Address: 927 Rocky Lake Drive, P.O. Box 48100 Bedford, NS, B4A 3Z2 Phone: 902-835-3381 Proponent Contact: Gary Rudolph, P. Eng. 927 Rocky Lake Drive, P. O. Box 48100 Bedford, NS, B4A 3Z2 Phone: 902-835-6346 Consultant Contact: Mr. J. H. Fraser, M. A. Sc., P. Geo. H2O GEO Environmental Services Inc. Phone: 902-443-4227 (Office); 902-497-5597 (Cell) It is noted that the existing quarry has held an Industrial Approval from Nova Scotia Environment (NSE) since 1999 and currently operates under “Industrial Waste Permit Approval # 2009-066020-R01, as attached to a cover page dated April 30,