The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board is pleased to announce the completion and public release of the final Labrador Shelf Offshore Area Strategic Environmental Assessment Update (Labrador SEA Update). The C-NLOPB would like to thank the Labrador SEA Update Working Group (WG) members for their dedication and collaboration during this multi-year effort.

The Labrador SEA Update provides an overview of the existing environment and helps to identify matters that the Board should consider in issuing exploration licences within the area. The update to the 2008 Labrador Shelf Offshore Area SEA Report is an addendum focusing on the significant amount of new information that has become available since 2008.

The Labrador SEA Update process was the subject of an extensive and thorough engagement process, which commenced with the initial meeting of the Labrador SEA Update WG in 2015. The WG was co-chaired by representatives of the C-NLOPB Environmental Protection Department and the Nunatsiavut Government. C-NLOPB staff and the Labrador SEA Update consultant Aivek Stantec (Stantec) held a series of in-person public information sessions in communities adjacent to the Labrador SEA Update Area from August 2018 to January 2019. Stantec also conducted a series of interviews with identified organizations and agencies, including Indigenous Groups, fisheries and petroleum industry representatives and federal and provincial government departments.

Following this engagement period, a draft Labrador SEA Update was provided in March 2021 to the WG for review and comment and a public comment period on the draft Labrador SEA Update was held from August to September 2021. Virtual sessions were held by C-NLOPB staff and Stantec for Indigenous Groups and the general public. Additional comments were generated again from Indigenous Groups,
C-NLOPB staff, key stakeholders such as fisheries and petroleum industries and federal and provincial government departments. A revised draft SEA Update was then submitted to the WG for review and comment. Conclusions based on this final, revised Labrador SEA Update were drafted by the WG Co-Chairs and have been approved by the C-NLOPB Board.

This Labrador SEA Update will support any site specific review that is required before any petroleum-related activities can begin within a licence area. The C-NLOPB recognizes the importance of the fishing industry and supports meaningful action against climate change, as well as the protection of environmentally significant and sensitive areas and will continue to work closely with Indigenous Groups, stakeholders and governments in this regard. The timing, spatial extent, and nature of proposed oil and gas activities, in addition to mitigations already prescribed by legislation, will determine the level of additional restriction or mitigation that may be required.

Media Contact:
Lesley Rideout
Communications Lead
(709) 725-2900
lrideout@cnlopb.ca

Strategic Environmental Assessment Contact:
Elizabeth Young
Director, Environmental Protection
(709) 778-4232
eyoung@cnlopb.ca

News Releases 2021