The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) is announcing public consultations associated with the Eastern Newfoundland Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

A SEA is a broad-based approach to examining the potential environmental implications of a proposed program or policy decision. The results of a SEA are used to assist the Board in its decision to issue exploration licences for marine areas within the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area. The C-NLOPB is conducting the Eastern Newfoundland SEA with the assistance of a Working Group made up of federal and provincial government representatives and stakeholder groups.

The SEA provides information on the regional physical setting and associated environmental considerations, and will help inform future licencing decisions regarding offshore petroleum activities in this area. The Eastern Newfoundland SEA will include updating the Orphan Basin SEA, published in 2003, and will also include areas to the south and east including the eastern Grand Banks, the Flemish Pass and the Flemish Cap.

AMEC Environment & Infrastructure has been engaged by the C-NLOPB to prepare the SEA and to organize public consultation sessions in Joe Batt’s Arm, Gander, Clarenville, Marystown, Placentia, St. John’s, and St. Anthony. These sessions are being held to provide information and receive public input into the SEA and are open to all interested individuals and organizations. Representatives of the C-NLOPB and AMEC will be present to provide information and receive questions and other input.

Detailed information regarding public Open House sessions is available on the C-NLOPB website and will be published in newspapers and broadcast on radio and TV stations.

During the SEA process, any written comments sent to the C-NLOPB in relation to that specific assessment, will be posted to the C-NLOPB website in the language in which they are received. Submissions will not be treated as confidential, but all identifying information for individuals will be removed except the name under which the documents were submitted.

If a third party is to be referenced in the documentation, the respondent should first obtain the consent of any third party before making the submission to the C-NLOPB.

The C-NLOPB takes no responsibility in relation to the content of the documentation provided by respondents.

The Board reserves the right to withhold from publication comments that are deemed to be unrelated to the Eastern Newfoundland SEA.

Comments received during the public consultation process will be considered in the preparation of a draft SEA report that will be made available to the public for review and comment.

Written comments can be sent to the address below or via email to information@cnlopb.nl.ca.

Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board
5th Floor, TD Place
140 Water Street

St. John’s, NL
A1C 6H6

Media Contact:
Sara Norris, BPR
Public Relations Coordinator
(709) 778-4224
(709) 725-2900 (cell)
snorris@cnlopb.nl.ca