(OTTAWA) - The Green Party of Canada and Green Party of Nova Scotia released the following joint statement that calls on federal ministers to prevent offshore drilling exploration from continuing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence:
On Sept. 16, 2016, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB) announced its intention to issue an exploration licence to Corridor Resources Inc. in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.
If approved by federal ministers, the licence will trigger a review process to permit deepwater drilling operations in the area commonly referred to as ‘Old Harry.’ The licence has been continually renewed without a proper environmental assessment, and this new permit will allow Corridor Resources Inc. to again pursue offshore drilling rights.
“The continuous renewal of an exploration license in environmentally sensitive areas of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence is shocking,” said Thomas Trappenberg, Leader of the Green Party of Nova Scotia. “Atlantic Canadians demand due process and transparency and an environmental review process that relies on fact and not simply the desires of the oil and gas industry.”
"The high-handed, pro-industry bias of CNLOPB is further proof that it must not be responsible for environmental assessment of offshore oil and gas,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands).
“Thanks to Stephen Harper's omnibus Bill C-38, any Corridor drilling will not go through a rigorous review as it would have under the pre-2012 Canada Environmental Assessment Act. Instead, oil exploration would be reviewed only by CNLOPB and not an independent review panel. The damage done to environmental assessment law by the previous administration must be repaired so that dangerous offshore projects receive proper review,” Ms. May said.
Note: A backgrounder is attached below.
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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
dan.palmer@greenparty.ca
m: (613) 614-4916
For the Green Party of Nova Scotia, contact:
Thomas Trappenberg, Leader
leader@greenparty.ns.ca
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Backgrounder: The ecologically rich and diverse Gulf of St. Lawrence is home to over 4,000 marine species, and is particularly sensitive to any disturbance caused by seismic surveys, exploration and drilling for oil and gas.
On Sept. 16, 2016, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB) announced its intention to issue a new exploration licence to Corridor Resources Inc. in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area. This licence will trigger a review process to permit drilling operations in the area commonly referred to as ‘Old Harry,’ located mid-way between the Magdalen Islands and the west coast of Newfoundland.
Prior to Friday’s announcement, the CNLOPB had granted three one-year extensions on a previous licence to Corridor Resources and cited regulatory factors as its reason for waiving the $1 million deposit required for each licence extension.
Those regulatory factors include the requirement for public and Aboriginal consultations, which the Board must hold as part of the environmental assessment for this project.
The Board has dragged its heels on when and how further public and First Nations consultations will be carried out. On January 15, 2016, the Board announced plans for consultations with First Nations groups and the public “at a later date” with no specifics given.
The numerous risks to marine species and the fisheries and tourism industries, the presence of many sensitive areas and endangered species, important data gaps, and the complex and deteriorating state of the Gulf are risks that outweigh the economic benefits of this deepwater drilling venture.
The lack of social licence is apparent from the results of previous public consultations held in the five Gulf provinces. Of 597 written submissions and verbal comments, 582 expressed concerns regarding continued petroleum exploration in the Gulf.