Ottawa starts Shell project review/Environmental assessment will look at oil giant’s proposal for $1b exploration off N.S. REMO ZACCAGNA BUSINESS REPORTER The federal government kicked off an environmental assessment Friday of Shell Canada ’s proposed $1-billion exploration project off Nova Scotia. The decision to conduct the assessment came after a public comment period, held between Dec. 2 and Dec. 23, that was called to determine if the Shelburne Basin Venture Exploration Drilling Project required the assessment . Shell plans to drill up to seven exploratory wells 250 kilometres off southwestern Nova Scotia from 2015 to 2019. Specific drilling sites will b e determined using seismic data gathered this summer. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency published a draft of the environmental impact statement guidelines, and is now seeking public input “on which aspects of the environment may b e affected by this project and what should be examined during the environmental assessment, says a news release. Comments must be submitted by Feb. 16. It is noted in the release that the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board has also started its own environmental review of the project and “will co-ordinate with the agency, to the extent possible, the conduct of a single environmental assessment review process. No one was available to comment for the board on Friday. Mark Butler, policy director at the Ecology Action Centre, had pushed for an environmental assessment, but has reservations about the process. He would like to see federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq call public hearings on the project. “If it means that they’re not going to have public hearings, no we’re not satisfied, he said. “If the minister doesn’t make a decision about public hearings or doesn’t decide in favour of a public hearing, this will be a paper exercise, or there won’t be any opportunity to engage with Shell or with (the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) or with other regulators. Agency spokeswoman Sofie McCoy-Astell said there will be four opportunities for the public to submit comments throughout the process, and noted that the agency is making available funding to support the participation of the public and Aboriginal groups. “The proponent often holds public hearings and that’s the proponent that advertises those, she said. “Public hearings are possible on the agency’s end, too. I don’t know of any that are scheduled right now, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be. Subsequent steps in the process include handing over a final copy of the environmental impact statement guidelines to Shell, who then have to submit an environmental impact statement . The agency then drafts an environmental assessment report and then, following a 30-day period for public comments, a final version of the document is handed to Aglukkaq. She then decides if the project will proceed or, if there are likely to be significant adverse environmental effects. If the latter happens, she refers the decision to the Governor-in-Council. If it means that they’re not going to have public hearings, no we’re not satisfied. Mark Butler Policy director, Ecology Action Centre
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 13:38:28 +0000
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