Newfoundland Orphan Basin Exploration Drilling Project
From the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to BP Canada Energy Group ULC re: Conformity of the Environmental Impact Statement
Document reference number: 16
Canadian Environmental
Assessment Agency
Suite 200
1801 Hollis Street
Halifax NS B3J 3N4
Agence canadienne
d'évaluation environnementale
Bureau 200
1801 rue Hollis
Halifax, NS B3J 3N4
October 26, 2018
Sent by E-mail
Anita Perry
VP Communications and External Affairs Canada
BP Canada Energy Group ULC
10th Floor, Founders Square
1701 Hollis Street
Halifax, NS B3J 3M8
anita.perry@bp.com
Dear Ms. Perry,
SUBJECT: Outcome of conformity review of the Environmental Impact Statement
On September 26, 2018, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) received the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and EIS Summary for the Newfoundland Orphan Basin Exploration Drilling Project (the Project) from BP Canada Energy Group ULC (the proponent). The Agency reviewed the EIS and EIS Summary in consideration of the requirements of the Guidelines for the Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS Guidelines), issued to the proponent by the Agency on March 5, 2018.
The Agency has concluded that the EIS and EIS Summary conform to the EIS Guidelines and will commence the technical review of the documents and associated public comment period as early as October 29, 2018. The EIS and EIS summary will be posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet Site (https://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/80147?culture=en-CA). The public and Indigenous groups will be invited to comment during the comment period, which will run between October 29, 2018 and November 29, 2018.
Please note that proceeding to a technical review and public comment period does not imply that the information in the EIS is adequate to support the completion of the environmental assessment (EA). The Agency will be issuing Information Requirements (IRs) to you based on the results of the technical review conducted by federal experts, and on input received from public and Indigenous participants. During the conformity review, federal authorities provided a number of comments on the EIS that may be developed into IRs following the technical review of the EIS.
As of October 26, 2018, the federal timeline within which the Minister's decision must be made will resume. For more information on the approach to managing federal environmental assessment timelines, please consult the Agency's "Operational Policy Statement: Information Requests and Timelines, February 2016" at https://www.canada.ca/en/environmental-assessment-agency/news/media-room/media-room-2016/information-requests-timelines.html. In accordance with subsections 27(6) and 23(2) of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012), the period that is taken by a proponent to respond to IRs, when there is not sufficient information available for the purposes of conducting the EA, is not included in the calculation of the time limit within which the Minister's decision must be made.
This letter may be shared with Indigenous groups and posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry Internet Site: https://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/80147?culture=en-CA.
Should BP Canada Energy Group ULC have any questions regarding the technical review of the EIS, please contact me at 902-407-7558 (Amanda Park) or 902-399-8834 (Kathryn MacCarthy) or via email at ceaa.orphanbasin-bassinorphan.acee@canada.ca.
Sincerely,
<Original signed by>
Amanda Park
Project Manager
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency - Atlantic Region
Cc: Heather Giddens, BP Canada Energy Group ULC
Elizabeth Young, Canada - Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board
Darren Hicks, Canada-Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board
Ian Murphy, Canada-Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board
Darrin Sooley, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Glenn Troke, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Jason Flanagan, Transport Canada
Maximilien Genest, Natural Resources Canada
Carla Stevens, Major Projects Management Office