Steve Bonnell (MA, Geography)
Environmental Assessment Lead (Transmission), Nalcor Energy, Lower Churchill Project
Steve received a BA (Hons) and MA in Geography from Memorial
University. He is currently completing a PhD (part-time) at the
University of Dundee, Scotland.
His area of specialization, both professionally and
academically, is the field of environmental assessment (EA). Steve
has worked worked in this area for over 10 years, in both industry
and government.
Steve is currently employed with Nalcor Energy - Lower Churchill
Project, where he is responsible for managing the EA of the
proposed Labrador-Island Transmission Link, a 1,100 km on-land and
subsea transmission line project. This includes overall
responsibility for planning and preparing the Project’s
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS); designing and managing the
associated environmental baseline study program; interfacing with
provincial and federal regulatory agencies; and coordinating the
associated aboriginal and stakeholder consultation programs.
Steve has always found his background and training as a Geographer
to be particularly well-suited for his career. EAs of major
development projects are always interdisciplinary in nature,
involving a wide range of biophysical and socioeconomic issues.
Having a good working knowledge across the physical, biological and
social sciences are therefore key.
In recent years he has been fortunate to teach in the Department of
Geography. Steve regularly serves as a Sessional Faculty Member,
teaching Geography 4410 (the course that got him started in EA).
Furthermore he has been a guest lecturer in various courses and
programs.
