Belleoram Marine Terminal Project Comprehensive Study Report
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Belleoram Marine Terminal Project Comprehensive Study Report With Respect to the Requirements of a Comprehensive Study Pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act CEAR Reference Number: 06-03-19881 August 23, 2007 Submitted by: Transport Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Prepared by: AMEC Earth & Environmental Belleoram Marine Terminal Comprehensive Study Report Continental Stone Limited CEAR Reference Number: 06-03-19881 August 23, 2007 Final EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Proposed Development and the Project Continental Stone Limited proposes to construct, operate, and eventually decommission a 900 ha crushed granite stone quarry immediately north of the Town of Belleoram, NL. Using standard industry methods, granite will be quarried and conveyed to bulk carriers for shipment to international markets; with the goal of enhancing the long-term viability of the company and the sustainable development of Connaigre Peninsula. The proposed Development is expected to bring 80-100 full time direct jobs with the potential for numerous indirect jobs for a span of 50 years. The quarry development will be carried out in three stages: Stage 1: Development - The initial site selection was completed in 2005 using a set of development criteria including a deep-water, ice-free, port and a large tonnage source of high quality aggregate. Results indicated that the site contained large amounts of high quality, non acid-generating granite with only background levels of heavy metals. Development will also include overburden removal, access development, and constructing operational equipment, buildings, settling ponds, and a marine terminal. Stage 2: Operation – Quarrying operations will progress across the 900 ha site, with rock being blasted, then crushed/screened and conveyed to the marine terminal for ship loading and export. It is estimated that 2 million tonnes of aggregate will be shipped in the first year of operation, increasing to 6 million tonnes for the remainder of the Development. Also, depending on market demands, aggregate may be stockpiled during the summer months for shipment later in the year. Stage 3: Decommissioning – Once the quarry operation has ceased, the site will be decommissioned by removing all operational equipment and buildings and conducting a Phase I Site Assessment to allow for the remediation of any identified contaminated sites. The site will be progressively rehabilitated, with all inactive work areas regraded and revegetated to revert the land back to a productive forest ecosystem. A rehabilitation and closure plan, pursuant to the requirements of Section 9(1) of the NL Mining Act, will be implemented. Regulatory Requirements Pursuant to Section 21(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEA Act), the Project proceeded as a Comprehensive Study following the recommendation by the Responsible Authorities (RAs) to the Minister of the Environment that it did indeed trigger the Comprehensive Study List Regulations under the CEA Act. The RAs were identified as: Belleoram Marine Terminal: Executive Summary I August, 2007 • Transport Canada (TC) pursuant to subsection 5(1) of the Navigable Waters Protection Act for the construction and operation of a marine terminal; • Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) pursuant to subsection 35(2) of the Fisheries Act for the harmful alteration, disruption, or destruction of fish habitat resulting from the construction and operation of a marine terminal; • Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) pursuant to paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act for the potential provision of financial assistance. Expert Federal Authorities (FAs) included Environment Canada (EC), Health Canada (HC), and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) who have provided specialist and expert information and knowledge which was used during all stages of the environmental assessment. The Development was also subject to a provincial EA in accordance with the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Protection Act and it was determined by the Minister of Environment and Conservation that it would proceed as an Environmental Preview Report (EPR) on June 8, 2006. The EPR was required because of the potential interaction with the aquaculture sites in the area. However, on January 26, 2007 the Minister approved the EPR and released the Project from further assessment. Scope of the Project The scope of the Project was defined through consultation between the RAs and with input from the FAs. In the early stages of the environmental assessment, ACOA had employed the “In-Until-Out” Approach – meaning that until it was confirmed that the project proponent would not seek financial assistance from ACOA, ACOA would remain involved in the environmental assessment process. On May 30, 2007 the proponent applied to ACOA for funding to construct and operate a marine terminal to be used of loading and shipping aggregate from the proposed quarry, rather than funding for the entire quarry project. Thus, ACOA remained as a RA and limited the scope of the project to the Marine Terminal only. TC and DFO, the other RAs, determined that the scope of the project for environmental assessment included construction, operation, decommissioning, and/or abandonment of the concrete caisson marine terminal. Therefore, TC, DFO, and ACOA had the same Project scope and a single comprehensive study report was prepared. Each RA has decision-making mandates with respect to their particular interests. In accordance with Section 15 of the CEA Act, the RAs have determined that the scope included construction, operation, and decommissioning of the following Project components; • Construction of a 200 m long by 30 m wide marine terminal; Belleoram Marine Terminal: Executive Summary II August, 2007 • Installation of ship loading equipment on the marine terminal, and; • Berthing, loading, and de-berthing of bulk carriers. Taking into account the factors specified in Section 16 of the CEA Act, and through consideration of the local environment and potential environmental effects of the Project, a list of Valued Ecosystem Components (VECs) were considered as part of this environmental assessment. These included: • Fish and fish habitat; • Aquaculture/commercial fisheries; • Navigation and marine safety; • Marine birds including seabirds and sea ducks; • Species at Risk; • Atmospheric environment, and; • Human health and safety. Further, the CSR contained an assessment of the potential for accidents or malfunctions, cumulative environmental effects, alternative means of carrying out the Project, and any effects of the environment on the Project. Follow Up and monitoring programs were also designed to ensure that the Project’s effects would be properly mitigated and that any compensation or post-development measures would be effective in minimizing potential adverse effects. Even though the CSR was limited to the marine terminal only, the document also contains detailed information on the quarry development, its potential effects, and proposed mitigations. Therefore, Project cumulative effects of the quarry and the marine terminal were considered and assessed for the identified VECs within the context of the CSR report. Information Distribution and Consultation In accordance with Section 12.4 of the CEA Act, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) became the Project’s Federal Environmental Assessment Coordinator. The Agency received formal notification of the Project through the Newfoundland and Labrador environmental assessment registration process. The Agency then contacted the FAs to determine their potential roles in the environmental assessment. It was determined that ACOA, DFO, and TC would become the RAs and that EC, NRCan, and HC would become FAs providing specialist expertise. Information on the Project and the environmental assessment is publicly available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry (CEAR) website under the Reference Number 06-03-19881. A Scoping Document was prepared by the RA’s and provided to the public and key stakeholders for review. Key stakeholders included the Town of Belleoram, the Miawpukek First Nations, Port Authority, Fish, Food and Allied Workers. Information on the public consultation and the Scoping Document was posted in The Telegram, The Coaster, and Le Gaboteur. Copies of the scoping document were also Belleoram Marine Terminal: Executive Summary III August, 2007 made available for viewing at the Belleoram Town Office. The amendment to the scope of the Project was also posted on CEAR. No letters of concern or opposition were received from the public or non-government organizations during the 34-day public consultation period. Four individuals requested copies of the scoping document but no comments were received. An open house, held at the Belleoram Community Centre on July 18, 2007, attracted 70 people, mainly from local communities. Most of the 27 people who completed Exit Surveys felt that the proposed quarry is quite positive for the economy of the area and their questions related to what types of employment would be available and when. Several comments related to the general social, aesthetic, and environmental effects on the Town of Belleoram and the area. Summary of Key Issues considered during the Review Key issues considered during the Project review are described below. Effects of the Project on the Environment It was determined that 1578 m2 of lobster habitat would be lost due the marine terminal’s construction.