Juanita Mercer | Posted: 1 Nov 2023 | saltwire.com
More information is needed about the massive wind farm and hydrogen-ammonia plant proposed for the Port au Port Peninsula before a decision is made whether to approve or deny it, Environment and Climate Change Minister Bernard Davis says.
On Wednesday, Nov. 1, Davis said an amendment to World Energy GH2’s environmental impact statement (EIS) is necessary “to inform the significance of the environmental effects.”
In a letter to World Energy CEO Sean Leet, Davis said the company’s original EIS was “deficient,” and several areas required more information, including: water use and monitoring; baseline data and information; assessment of potential environmental and cumulative effects; mitigation and monitoring plans; and emergency response and contingency plans.
Once the additional information is provided, Davis said, there will be a 50-day public consultation period and review by the Environmental Assessment Committee.
A decision about the proposed project will be made within 70 days of Davis receiving the amendment.
Outside the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Davis told reporters it’s a regular occurrence in the environmental assessment process to need more information, especially for large projects.
Davis said the provincial government is very supportive of the hydrogen industry. He said it’s something the world is requiring, and something that’s “very, very good” for the province to be moving on. He also pointed out that it’s a very new industry.
“I know parts of it have been around for a very long period of time, but when you put it together in the scale and scope that we’re looking at doing in this province – and the global community is requiring it to be done – it’s very important that we get it right, and making sure that all the Is and Ts are dotted and crossed.”