News Release
For Immediate Release
January 29, 2021
The CNSOPB is preparing a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Middle and Eastern Scotian Slope and Sable Island Bank areas of the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area.
SEAs are broad-scale studies that examine the environmental setting and marine environment to identify potential environmental effects and any related mitigation measures that may need to be considered if there is future oil and gas activity in the study area.
SEAs are developed to help us, operators, Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the public learn more about environmental considerations for a specific offshore area. We use SEAs to identify environmental sensitivities and mitigation measures that should be considered to protect the environment before project‐specific activities are proposed.
As part of our planning process for the Middle and Eastern Scotian Slope and Sable Island Bank Areas SEA, we have developed a Scoping Document that outlines the purpose, objectives and what will be included in the SEA. The Scoping Document highlights Valued Components (VCs) to be considered in the SEA, the scope of these VCs, and provides other relevant information and guidelines for the preparation of the SEA Report.
Conducting an SEA does not mean that activity will take place in the area. Should an activity be proposed in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area, a project-specific Environmental Assessment, among other processes, must be undertaken, and must demonstrate to the CNSOPB that the proposed work can be done without significant adverse environmental effects.
We invite Indigenous communities and the public to submit written comments on the Scoping Document. Please submit your comments through our online submission form by March 1, 2021.
Comments will be incorporated into the Draft SEA Report, which will be available for review and comment. The final SEA will be available on our Strategic Environmental Assessment Registry once this process is complete.
About the Board
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board is the independent joint agency of the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia responsible for the regulation of petroleum activities and resources in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area.
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Contact:
Laura Wright
Communications Advisor
Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
Cell: 902-471-9285 | lwright@cnsopb.ns.ca