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From: Elizabeth May <emay@MAGMA.CA>
here is a sampling of yesterday's media reaction. We are not giving up,
but the seismic testing could begin on Thursday!
Calls to Chretien's office, Anderson and Premier Hamm....MUCH APPRECIATED.
Elizabeth
National Breaking News, POSTED AT 1:19 PM EST Friday, Nov. 28, 2003
Halifax firm wins right to seismic tests
By KEVIN COX
Globe and Mail Update
Halifax - A Nova Scotia offshore tribunal has angered Nova Scotia
environmentalists and fishermen by allowing a Halifax company to
conduct oil exploration work in one of the most productive fishing areas on
the East Coast.
After four years of studies, debates and public hearings on the impact of
seismic testing on marine life, Corridor Resources Inc. has received
approval from the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board to
conduct testing for six days off the western shore of Cape Breton.
The area has a lucrative snow-crab fishery, and fishermen fear that the
seismic activity - exploring for oil and natural gas by shooting sound
waves into the ocean floor - would damage the stocks.
”Nobody knows what the impact of seismic is on shellfish or anything
else,” Osborne Burke, spokesman for the North of Smokey Fisherman's
Association in Cape Breton, said in an interview.
He said fishermen are also worried about the impact of the seismic
activity on cod, hake and herring stocks in the area.
He would not specify what action fishermen in the area might take, but he
insisted that they will not merely watch the petroleum exploration take
place.
In a statement released on Thursday, the board said a recent scientific
study off Newfoundland found that seismic activity did not appear to kill
snow crabs. The findings and methodology of the study have been
criticized by some scientists and fishermen.
The board also noted that the timing of the surveys in early December
would minimize any possible impact on marine mammals, sea turtles
and cod in the area. The CNSOPB added that there was extensive
seismic work done off western Cape Breton between 1967 and 1982 and
that, while no scientific studies were done at the time, no negative
impacts on snow crabs were reported.
Elizabeth May, executive-director of the Sierra Club of Canada, said the
board's decision flies in the face of the advice of several scientists,
including some employed by the federal Department of Fisheries and
Oceans that the seismic work should not proceed because of the risk to
marine life in the area.
”This is an extremely dangerous precedent. It is treating one of the most
lucrative commercial fishing operations in Atlantic Canada as a guinea
pig for testing,” Ms. May said in an interview Friday.
”They're saying we don't know what happens to crab populations with
seismic but the benefit of blasting away is that perhaps we can get better
information.
”It's completely unacceptable. You don't run testing to answer questions
about how much damage you can do to the environment in your most
sensitive zones,” Ms. May said.
She added that the environmental group is considering legal action to halt
the work and is also appealing to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to
intervene and ban seismic work in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Corridor has insisted that the small-scale seismic work would provide an
opportunity for marine biologists and fisheries observers to examine how
exploration activity affects marine life.
Under the approval issued today the company must have a fisheries
observer and a marine mammal biologist on board the seismic vessel,
and work must be done at least 10 kilometres away from the shoreline.
Seismic work must be halted if a whale is sighted within one kilometre of
the ship.
Saturday, November 29, 2003 Back The Halifax Herald Limited
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
...
Herald file
Norm Miller, president of Corridor Resources, says his company should be
able to meet the board's tough conditions.
Board OKs offshore seismic tests
Fishermen, scientists, ecologists slam decision
By Steve Proctor and Eva Hoare / Business Reporters
An energy regulator's decision to allow seismic testing in waters off
western Cape Breton has drawn fire from environmentalists, scientists and
fishermen.
Corridor Resources of Halifax received permission Friday to do scaled-back
testing, with the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board saying
previous studies have found the work does not immediately harm snow crabs, a
major concern of opposing groups.
In approving the tests, the board imposed numerous conditions it said will
help protect marine life, including having a fisheries observer on board the
seismic vessel as well as a marine biologist.
Other conditions include a ban on seismic work within 10 kilometres of the
low-water mark or when a whale is sighted within one kilometre of the
vessel; and a 30-minute ramp-up period prior to testing.
Seismic testing involves firing air guns along the ocean floor in search of
oil and gas. It is a controversial issue and scientists, environmentalists
and fishermen, fearing potential harm to sensitive marine life, have
repeatedly warned of the dangers.
Corridor could begin work as early as next week. Plans call for six days of
seismic blasts over 500 kilometres criss-crossing Cape Breton's western
shore.
Gretchen Fitzgerald of the Ecology Action Centre's marine issues committee
expressed outrage at the approval of testing, saying the Halifax centre will
seek a reversal of the move.
"The petroleum board is willing to use the sensitive waters of the Southern
Gulf as a laboratory," said Ms. Fitzgerald. "They are gambling with the
ecosystem. We are gambling with cod stocks."
She said science has shown at every juncture that seismic tests would put
snow crab at risk, and she questions the board's independence.
"Are we being held hostage by the oil and gas industry in this province? It
feels like it to me."
Norm Miller, president of Corridor, said the board's conditions are tough
but he believes the company can meet them.
With good weather, he said the work could begin by Wednesday or Thursday.
"We think this is an opportunity to work with the Department of Fisheries
and Oceans to drape some science around this.
"It's an opportunity to monitor and add knowledge."
Ms. Fitzgerald scoffed at Mr. Miller's belief that the conditions are tough.
"They are going to have someone on deck looking for whales? Unless it's flat
calm, you would never be able to see them."
She also said that buried in the details, the board has quietly opened two
new inshore sections for exploration in the Sydney Bight area.
"That reveals the trickery of this regulator. It is not representative of
the views of the public or science."
Neal Livingston of the Margaree Environmental Association said the vast
majority of Cape Bretoners are furious about the project but government
hasn't listened. He feared it will be very difficult to sell the area as an
exciting tourism destination.
"With this decision we are seeing the unravelling of sustainability. Any
progress we've made on environmental issues is being lost. Nothing matters
but the sustainability of oil and gas."
The Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia echoed those sentiments.
Managing director Judith Cabrita said association members remain
"unalterably opposed" to risking one of the province's "most valuable
economic sectors," especially when nearshore development of this type is
barred "everywhere else" on the east and west coasts of North America.
Mr. Livingston said federal Fisheries Minister Robert Thibault should shut
down the project and lead the charge to dismantle the petroleum board. "And
if he's not prepared to shut it down, he should resign."
Elizabeth May, spokeswoman for a coalition of fishermen, First Nations,
tourism operators and environmental groups, said the decision overrides and
distorts advice from DFO and many scientists.
"It is unacceptable for our politicians at the federal and provincial levels
to hide behind this unelected pro-oil and gas industry board," Ms. May said.
"The board has proven itself unable to do anything accept green-light oil
and gas projects. I have never dealt with such a duplicitous organization."
The board twisted DFO's scientific recommendations by merely saying the
department had "some concern," she said, when in fact, DFO said the
conditions of last spring had not been met and the program shouldn't
proceed.
Snow crab populations in the testing zones are of particular concern, she
said.
Crab fishermen "absolutely reject being used as guinea pigs for the oil and
gas industry," said Fred Kennedy of Area 19 of the Snow Crab Fishermen's
Association, decrying the board's view that seismic testing will give more
scientific detail about crab stocks.
Liberal environment Critic Keith Colwell wants assurances that precautions
have been taken to ensure the fishing and tourism industries won't be
jeopardized in Inverness County.
The Save Our Seas and Shores coalition also wants Premier John Hamm to abide
by a stance he took this week when he said he'd meet with scientists and not
allow testing if there is a risk to the fishery, said Ms. May.
Barbara Pike, spokeswoman for the oil and gas board, told The Canadian Press
the conditions imposed by the agency will, according to DFO, minimize risks
to the fishery because the timing for tests is better after Nov. 21.
"At that time the fish are migrating. They expect the cod will be out of the
area by the third week of November. The crab fishery is over then and marine
mammals are supposed to be out."
Ms. Pike said the board did scientific and public reviews. "The board
considered all sides on this very cautiously."
[]
Top Stories - News
[]
Saturday, November 29, 2003
PERMISSION GRANTED FOR SEISMIC SURVEY
WES STEWART
[]
SYDNEY - Corridor Resources plans to go ahead immediately with a six-day 2D
seismic program off Cheticamp, president Norm Miller said Friday.
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board has approved, with
conditions, an application by the Halifax-based company to explore for
natural gas on a tract of land offshore from western Cape Breton.
“By mid-week we should be able to get a crew together for science work in
advance of the testing,” the company president said.
The weather will play a key role in the length of time it will take to do
the six-day program.
“If we have good weather it could happen right away, but with weather
interruptions it could take longer.”
The seismic survey is done by towing an array of air horns from the back of
a ship with sensing devices that sense gas or oil bearing strata. The work
will be done in the middle of the Strait between Cheticamp and East Point,
P.E.I.
“If we get good data we will study it over the winter and compare it with
additional technical data,” Miller said.
The company will know by next winter if they have a drillable prospect.
Elizabeth May said the opponents of the testing will continue to lobby
Premier John Hamm and Prime Minister Jean Chretien to place a moratorium on
oil exploration in this resource-rich fishing area.
“The board did not look at the science or the greater public interest,”
said the Sierra Club CEO.
Opponents have argued the testing over 100-square-kilometres off the
island’s northwest coast may scare off fish stocks, harm whales and cause
long-term damage in sensitive marine environments.
Area 19 Snow Crab Fishermen’s Association spokesman Fred Kennedy has not
ruled out protests on the wharves and blockades of the seismic exploration.
The petroleum board granted the permits with the usual conditions in
addition to an environmental review to include an environmental effects
monitoring program, which has been addressed through Corridor Resources
participation and contribution to a research project developed in
consultation with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The research will be managed by the Centre for Offshore Oil and Gas
Environmental Research team of DFO.
Other conditions include having a fisheries observer on board the seismic
vessel as well as a marine mammal biologist; no seismic acquisition within
10 kilometres of the low water mark; a 30-minute ramp up period; and a
provision that no seismic will take place if a whale is sighted within one
kilometre of the seismic vessel.
The petroleum board has also lifted the prohibition order on exploration
licences held by Hunt Oil off Sydney Bight. Hunt postponed plans to do
seismic work this season until it gets a new funding partner.
May said the petroleum board lifted the moratorium in Sydney Bight without
fully addressing concerns seismic activity will have on military munitions
dump sites located in the leased area.
Energy Minister Clarke said the seismic will proceed but with measures set
out by the hoc communitee that looked into the potential impact
exploration will have on the marine environment.
The provincial Energy Department and federal Fisheries and Oceans will
work on the science identified by fishermen and other stackholders and
improve it.
He said this seismic will help them develop the science that will go along
with exploring licensed areas off Sydney.
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