From the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to Husky Oil Operations Ltd. re: Conformity of Responses to Information Requests Related to the Environmental Impact Statement Round 1

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Document reference number: 32

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Suite 200
1801 Hollis Street
Halifax NS B3J 3N4

Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale
Bureau 200
1801 rue Hollis
Halifax, NE B3J 3N4

April 25, 2019

Sent by E-mail 

David Pinsent
Senior Environmental Advisor
Husky Energy
351 Water Street, Suite 105
St. John's, NL
A1C 1C2
David.Pinsent@huskyenergy.com

Dear Mr. Pinsent,

SUBJECT: Outcome of conformity review of responses to Round I Information Requirements for the proposed Husky Energy Exploration Drilling Project

On March 21, 2019, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) received Husky Energy's responses to Information Requirements (IRs) issued by the Agency on December 21, 2018. The Agency developed the IRs based on a review by the Agency, other federal authorities, Indigenous groups and the public of the Husky Exploration Drilling Project: Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and associated EIS Summary. The Agency requires acceptable responses to IRs in order to complete its review of the EIS and to proceed with the preparation of its Environmental Assessment Report.

The Agency has completed an initial review of Husky's March 21, 2019 submission to determine whether it is sufficient to proceed with a technical review and pose follow-up questions, as necessary. The Agency has identified eight responses that do not provide sufficient information:

• IR-39
• IR-52
• IR-67
• IR-73
• IR-81
• IR-92
• IR-102
• IR-103

The Agency therefore re-iterates the requirements stated in the above-noted IRs. We are available to discuss the IRs and required information at your convenience.

The Agency will commence a technical review of the remaining IR responses, during which it will seek input from federal authorities and Indigenous groups. The Agency may request further information based on the outcome of technical review.

The timeline for the EA will be paused, effective April 26, 2019. Once Husky Energy has submitted revised responses to the non-conforming IRs, the Agency will take a period of up to 15 days without the timeline resuming to form an opinion on whether the required information has been provided. If the Agency determines the responses to be complete, it will commence a technical review of the remaining information requirements and the timeline for the environmental assessment will resume the following day. If the responses are determined to be incomplete, you will be notified at that time. If the Agency has not come to a conclusion after 15 days, the timelines will resume the next day. For further information, please consult the Agency document Information Requests and Timelines https://www.canada.ca/en/environmental-assessment-agency/news/media-room/media-room-2016/information-requests-timelines.html.

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/80130?culture=en-CA.

Should Husky have any questions regarding the technical review of the EIS, please contact me at 902-407-7558 or via email at ceaa.husky.acee@canada.ca.

Sincerely,

<Original signed by>

Amanda Park
Project Manager
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency - Atlantic Region

Cc: Elizabeth Young, Canada - Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board
Bret Pilgrim, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Glenn Troke, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Jason Flanagan, Transport Canada
Allison Denning, Health Canada
Maximilien Genest, Natural Resources Canada
Vanessa Rodrigues, Parks Canada
Carla Stevens, Major Projects Management Office
Carol Lee Giffin, Department National Defence
Joe Behar, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada