Western Scotian Shelf and Slope Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Document and Opportunity for Comments

News Release
For Immediate Release
 

January 27, 2020
 

CANADA-NOVA SCOTIA OFFSHORE PETROLEUM BOARD (CNSOPB) INVITES PUBLIC COMMENTS ON SCOPING DOCUMENT
 

The CNSOPB is updating a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Western Scotian Shelf and Slope region of the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area.
 

A SEA is a broad-scale study that examines the environmental setting and marine environment to identify potential environmental effects that may be associated with potential future oil and gas activity, and the associated mitigation measures that may need to be considered.
 

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 Western Scotian Shelf and Slope SEA, we have developed a Scoping Document that outlines the purpose, objectives and what will be included in the SEA. The Scoping Document also 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 things, must be undertaken, and must demonstrate to the CNSOPB that the proposed work can be done without significant adverse environmental impacts.
 

We invite Indigenous communities and the public to submit written comments on the Western Scotian Shelf and Slope SEA Scoping Document. Please submit your comments through our online submission form by February 25, 2020.
 

Note that all comments will be considered public and will be posted on our SEA Registry. Comments received will be incorporated into the Draft SEA Report which will be available for review once drafted. The final SEA will be available on our Strategic Environmental Assessment Registry once this process is complete.
 

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 offshore Canada-Nova Scotia.
 

-30-
 

Contact:
Laura Wright
Advisor, Communications
Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
Cell: 902-471-9285 | lwright@cnsopb.ns.ca