Over the past year, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) has been completing an update of the 2005 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and 2007 Amendment for the Western Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area SEA. As part of the process, public consultations were held in October and November 2012 in the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec. A draft Western Newfoundland and Labrador SEA Update is being prepared and will be released for public review in April 2013. Comments on the draft SEA will be reviewed by the SEA Working Group, which is comprised of representatives from federal and provincial departments, as well as One Ocean, which is a liaison committee formed by the fisheries industry and the offshore oil and gas industry. The final SEA document will then be posted on the C-NLOPB website.

The C-NLOPB feels that there is value in having an updated SEA for the Western Newfoundland Offshore Area prior to the completion and public review of Corridor Resources Inc’s Environmental Assessment (EA) of a proposed drilling program on the Old Harry Prospect (Exploration License 1105). The results of the SEA update may contribute to a more informed project-specific EA.

A decision was made one year ago to terminate the work of the Independent Review while the SEA work was underway. The process of completing the SEA update was expected to take over a year. The Board did not feel it was a proper use of public funds to incur expenses related to the independent review for the period in which the SEA work was proceeding.

The Board is following the two-pronged approach for public review suggested in the letter to the C-NLOPB by federal Environment Minister Peter Kent on August 15, 2011 (http://www.cnlopb.nl.ca/environment/corridorresinc.shtml). Completion of the updated SEA will take several months. Once it is completed, the Board will evaluate all options for public review of Corridor Resources’ EA, including the possible resumption of an independent review.

The Board is committed to ensuring the public have ample opportunity to express their concerns about the potential environmental impacts of offshore oil and gas activity in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Media Contact:
Sean Kelly M.A.,APR, FCPRS
Manager of Public Relations
(709) 778-1418
(709) 689-0713 (cell)
skelly@cnlopb.nl.ca