The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board
(C-NLOPB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Miller Ayre as the Public Review Commissioner for the Hebron Development Application.
Mr. Ayre is well qualified to conduct an independent review of the Hebron development application. He holds an Honours BA in Economics from Harvard University, a Master of Business Administration degree from McGill University and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Memorial University. He is former publisher of The Telegram and is a member of the Order of Canada. He is National Vice-Chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council and a member of the Advisory Council of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
Mr. Ayre was Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Council of Canada, the Advisory Board of Memorial’s School of Business, the Newfoundland Medicare Commission, and Vice-chair of The National Theatre School of Canada. He has served as a Director of a number of TSX listed public companies including Aliant and ResourceCan Limited. He is a former Member of the Economic Council of Canada, the Institute for Research in Public Policy and the Policy Advisory Committee of the C.D. Howe Institute. Mr. Ayre also served as a member of the St. John’s Municipal Council, Honorary Chair of the Newfoundland Business Hall of Fame and Provincial Chair of the Task Force on Canadian Unity.
The Commissioner will be responsible for the holding of public sessions and the application of procedures involved in the public review process, subject to the Terms of Reference from the C-NLOPB and the provisions of the Atlantic Accord Acts. Appropriate notices will be given of the time and place of each public session and will provide ample opportunity to participate.
On April 15, 2011 ExxonMobil, on behalf of the Hebron proponents, filed a development application with the C-NLOPB consisting of the development application summary, the development plan and a socio-economic impact statement and sustainable development report. This was followed by the submission of a benefits plan on May 10, 2011. These documents, together with certain supporting documents have been posted to the Board’s website (www.cnlopb.nl.ca). A completeness review of the development application is underway. Correspondence in connection with this review has also been posted to the Board’s website. Once that process is complete, the documents will undergo public review by the Commissioner. At that point, the Commissioner will have six months to complete his review and submit a report.
In addition to the public review, the staff of the C-NLOPB will undertake an analysis of the application and provide its recommendations to the Board for their consideration. The Board’s decision on the application is subject to approval by both the Federal and Provincial Ministers of Natural Resources.
Prior to receipt of the Development Application, the Proponent submitted a project description for the Hebron Project to the C-NLOPB. The C-NLOPB, together with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, Transport Canada, and Industry Canada, initiated a “comprehensive study” level of environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEA Act). The Proponent submitted a draft Comprehensive Study Report (CSR) on June 16, 2010. Review comments on the CSR are still being addressed by the Proponent. Upon finalization of the CSR, it will be transmitted to the Minister of the Environment for a 30 day public comment period. At the end of that process, the Minister of the Environment will issue an environmental assessment decision statement. The CSR is intended to fulfil the requirement for an Environmental Impact Statement within the Accord review.
Commissioner’s Terms of Reference
Media Contact:
Sean Kelly M.A., APR, FCPRS
Manager of Public Relations
(709) 778-1418
(709) 689-0713 (cell)
skelly@cnlopb.nl.ca