The George River Caribou Herd
The DND and the training participants have taken great care to ensure that the training exercises have minimal impact to the environment. The DND in conjunction with our partners have established an avoidance program designed to monitor areas of human and wildlife habitation in order to avoid flights over people and sensitive environmental areas. The framework for this practice is outlined by the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released by the DND in 1989. A special toll-free hotline has also been created to allow people to advise the military when they plan to hunt, fish, camp or trap within the flight training area. Anyone planning on being within the training area are advised to call one of the following numbers:
1) English and French: 1-800-563-2390 or
2) Inuktitut and Innu-aimun: 1-800-563-3281
In response to concerns that low level flying may effect the environment, the DND in conjunction with our training participants began a study. The EIS, which involved in depth scientific study in conjunction with feedback from local residents, found that there were few, if any, impacts upon wildlife and the environment as a result of low level flying. It is interesting to note that during the flying training season, ninety-eight percent of the training area is exposed to less than one flight per day given the vast size of the training area (130, 000 squared kilometers).
In 1994 an Environmental Impact Statement on Military Flight Activities in Labrador and Quebec was submitted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. One recommendation of the report was to create the Institute for Environmental Monitoring and Research (IEMR). "Established in 1995, its purpose is to investigate the impact of allied low-level flight training in Labrador and Northeastern Quebec conducted from the Canadian Forces Base at Goose Bay".
The mandate of the Institute is:
to focus on the protection of the environment, and within the concept of sustainable development, to support the viability of the military flight training program;
to provide independent verification of environmental effects as well as expertise and advice in structuring adequate monitoring and mitigation measures; and to foster a level of trust among all groups affected by the military training program.
The Government of Canada has taken every step possible to ensure that Goose Bay is and remains to be an environmentally safe green program. The environment has always been and remains to be of utmost importance to the Government of Canada and measures have been taken to ensure that our training program has no impacts upon the environment. After seven years of social and scientific study it is safe to say that there are no significant impacts to the natural environment as a result of our training program.
As part of the continuing efforts to maintain a green program at 5 Wing Goose Bay there is an annual cleanup of the target zone in the Practice Target Area. "This activity is conducted under the inspection of the provincial Government Services Centre, which ensures that fuel storage, waste management and the removal and burial of practice ordinance meet provincial standards". (Registration pursuant to Section 7 of the Environmental Assessment Act p.10)
The DND and our allies have a proven record of commitment to ensuring environmental considerations are of the utmost importance. There are ongoing efforts to minimize any impacts that flight training might have on the environment.
