Environmental Assessment
On 27 March 2023, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change released their decision to approve project in accordance with Section 13(1)b of the Environmental Assessment Regulations, pursuant to Part IV of the Environment Act. The approvel is subject to a number of conditions. The entire Environmental Assessment is readily available to the public.
The objective of the EA is to minimize or avoid adverse environmental effects before they occur and ensure environmental factors are incorporated into decision making processes. Effective monitoring programs have been developed based on results of the assessments and will be implemented for adaptive management. We are committed to continuing our work with Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the public throughout the construction, and operation of the project.
Mersey River Wind is currently under development and our team is taking every measure to ensure our environmental impact is limited. There are many ways we are planning to protect the natural habitat of vegetation and animal species during the project lifetime.
Tree Clearing
The amount of clearing necessary will be relatively small. Each turbine will require approximately one hectare of cleared land and the electrical lines will be co-located with roads where possible. That said, to mitigate any adverse environmental impacts during clearing and grubbing, the following precautions will be taken:
Tree clearing will be conducted in compliance with the Migratory Bird Convention Act and the Species At Risk Act.
Prior to clearing, migratory bird nest searches within the proposed clearing area will take place in consultation with the Canadian Wildlife Association.
Should nests be located, tree clearing will be scheduled, where possible, to avoid key migratory bird nesting periods.
Environmentally sensitive features will be identified and clearly marked, for example, watercourses, wetlands, and areas of high-archeological potential.
All watercourses will be kept free of chips and debris resulting from clearing activities.
Appropriate erosion and sediment controls will be implemented to stabilize the slopes/banks on either side of watercourses and prevent sediment run-off.
Geophysical
Localized disturbances to groundwater from blasting, if required. Mitigation measures will be determined once geotechnical core sampling is completed at any required blasting site.
Freshwater Environment
The greatest risk to the waterbodies and watercourses is sediment load during construction. The final number of water crossings will be determined by the final engineered road design. All construction near water bodies or watercourses will comply with the provincial permitting process, which includes a sedimentation and erosion control plan.
Wetlands
The risk to wetlands is through habitat destruction by construction. The detailed site-confirmed wetland delineation will be completed with the early environmental work. As wetlands are better defined, the project design will be altered as needed to avoid them. If any wetlands must be altered, that area will be compensated elsewhere.
Terrestrial Habitat
The risk is habitat destruction or fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation is a minimal risk due to the relatively small footprint this project will have. The detailed mitigation measures will be included into the project Environmental Protection Plan (EPP). Areas of known old-growth or significant habitat will be avoided. No herbicides will be used to remove vegetation during maintenance activities. The disturbance to the site during construction will be more significant, but short-lived.
Species of Conservation Interest (SOCI)
During the field work associated with the Environmental Assessment (EA), particular attention will be paid to potential SOCI on the site. Key habitat will be identified and protected in the final project design. The EPP will include speed limits and warning signs to reduce the probability of traffic colliding with animals.
Birds and Bats
The main risk to birds and bats include mortality from collision and habitat alteration. The effect of wind projects on bird populations depend greatly on the project layout, nearby migratory bird routes, and the on-site bird community. Once more information is known about the site, the project design may be altered to mitigate any potential impacts.
After the project is operational, the environmental protection plan will include mortality surveys for birds and bats at key times of day in certain seasons to assess the impact the project has on local populations.
Atmospheric
The project will provide clean, fossil-fuel free electricity for the duration of its life, resulting in a net positive atmospheric effect.
Some dust may arise during construction. To reduce construction dust, the roads will be sprayed with water, if needed.
Human Settlements
The greatest potential impact to humans is shadow flicker falling directly onto an existing dwelling, or noise. The effect of shadow flicker and noise on nearby dwellings will be studied in detail in the EA. Given the distance between the project and the closest dwellings, the impacts will likely be negligible.
Archaeology
Mi’kmaqi has been inhabited since time immemorial. The Mersey River in particular is undeniably one of the richest archaeological areas in the province, with a great density of known artifacts. The archaeological field work was conducted by Boreas Heritage, a group of well-regarded archaeologists familiar with the area. They identified a series of high-potential areas for archaeological resources, and conducted rigorous shovel-testing in those areas.
Mersey Wind has taken great care to minimize ground disturbance, especially in or near those areas of where artifacts are most likely to be found. Our first approach is to avoid high potential areas wherever possible by changing the project layout. For the areas near water that we can not avoid, we will use existing bridges and roads that do not require major upgrades. Finally, in the few areas where complete avoidance is impossible, we will have archaeologists on site during construction.