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Tip: Your message to SUST-MAR must be html-free. So, BEFORE you hit SEND, please go to your "Format" pull-down menu and select "Plain text." Thanks! ____________________________________________________________________________ Hi all, As some of you may have heard by now, the Canada - Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) has approved an application from Corridor Resources Inc. to conduct seismic testing offshore western Cape Breton - exactly what we have been fighting for months now. This has implications for the entire Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Today may be the last day to make a difference on this issue. We have to turn up the heat on the Premier and ask him to step in, demand that he live up to a commitment he made on CBC's Maritime Noon earlier this week in which he offered to meet with scientists and that if there was a risk to the fishery the testing would not be allowed. For more information see our website http://www.sierraclub.ca/atlantic/camp_oilgas.htm and the two press releases below. We have, since Hamm's remarks on CBC Maritme Noon, really turned up the heat on the Premier. LET'S TURN IT HIGHER!!!!!!!. PLEASE, ALL DAY TODAY, GET AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN TO CALL HAMM'S OFFICE --PHONE CALLS ARE BETTER THAN EMAILS TODAY -- TO DEMAND THAT THE AREA SOUTHERN GULF BE PROTECTED. HAMM'S OFFICE 902-424-6600 CECIL CLARKE MIN OF ENERGY -- 902-424-4575 MORASH, MIN OF ENVIRONMENT -- 902-424-5300 MAKE LOTS OF CALLS. CIRCULATE TO YOUR EMAIL LISTS. When you call they may try to refer you to the Department of Energy. be prepared and ask to speak to someone in the Premier's office. Point out that Hamm made a promise on CBC radio on Maritime Noon, not to permit seismic if he met with scientists who were concerned.... and the scientists ARE concerned!! PLEASE...LET'S SHUT DOWN THE PHONES IN THE PREMIERS OFFICE. Thanks, Emily Emily McMillan Director of Operations Sierra Club of Canada - Atlantic Canada Chapter 1657 Barrington St., Suite 502 Halifax, NS, B3J 2A1 emilym@sierraclub.ca <mailto:emilym@sierraclub.ca> Phone: 902-444-3113 Fax: 902-444-3116 www.sierraclub.ca/atlantic <http://www.sierraclub.ca/atlantic> One Earth...One Chance ............................................................ SOSS coalition denounces sell-out of sensitive marine areas by CNSOPB A coalition of Fishermen, First Nations, Tourism operators and Environmental groups denounced today the decision of the CSNOPB to override the scientific advice from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as well as numerous scientists who served on the Board's Science Review Committee. "Once again CNSOPB has distorted the scientific recommendations they received by characterizing DFO's advice as expressing "some concern". In reality, the written DFO advice to CNSOPB was that the conditions of last spring had not been met and the program should not proceed," said Elizabeth May, Executive Director, Sierra Club of Canada. Of particular concern is the abundance of snow crab in the proposed testing zones. "The Board has announced that they will use this program to answer huge scientific uncertainties about the impact of seismic blasting on snow crab populations. The snow crab fishermen of Cape Breton Island absolutely reject being used as guinea pigs for the oil and gas industry," said Fred Kennedy, Area 19, Snow Crab Fishermen's Association. "There has been no consultation with first nations to satisfy our concerns," said Allister Marshall. "The tourism industry remains unalterably opposed to taking this risk with one of Nova Scotia's most valuable economic sectors," said Anita Macleod . The Save Our Seas and Shores coalition (SOSS) has demanded that Premier John Hamm live up to a commitment he made on CBC's Maritime Noon earlier this week in which he offered to meet with scientists and that if there was a risk to the fishery the testing would not be allowed. "It is unacceptable for our politicians at the federal and provincial level to hide behind this unelected pro-oil and gas industry Board," said Elizabeth May. Andrew Dumbrille Communications Coordinator Sierra Club of Canada www.sierraclub.ca Phone: 613-241-4611 Fax: 613-241-2292 -----Original Message----- From: Sierra Club of Canada Communications [mailto:info@sierraclub.ca] Sent: November 28, 2003 11:13 AM Subject: Board Issues Geophysical Program Authorization Board Issues Geophysical Program Authorization Halifax, NS - The Canada - Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (the Board) has approved, with conditions, an application from Corridor Resources Inc. to conduct a six-day 2D geophysical program offshore western Cape Breton. The Board reviewed the application and determined, subject to additional conditions placed on the activity, the operator is in compliance with the regulatory requirements. The requirements include a Scope of Work, Safety Plan, environmental assessment, Canada - Nova Scotia Benefits Plan, proof of financial responsibility and the Declaration of Operator. Conditions placed on the activity based on the environmental review 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 (DFO). The research will be managed by the Centre for Offshore Oil and Gas Environmental Research (COOGER) 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 be acquired if a whale is sighted within one kilometre of the seismic vessel. Since the onset of discussions related to proposed seismic activities offshore Cape Breton Island three years ago, various environmental concerns and issues have been brought forth and were considered in the Board's decision. The Board, through a Public Review, a Science Review, an Ad Hoc Working Group, and public comment, received substantial amounts of information, both in support of, and in opposition to, the proposed program. For the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Science Review agreed that restricting the timing of the program to after November would reduce potential population level effects on marine mammals and sea turtles to negligible levels. The scientists also agreed that these measures would reduce but not eliminate the risks to other environmental components. DFO indicated that conducting the program after the third week of November will mitigate potential effects to cod. Both the Science Review and DFO have indicated that western Cape Breton is an area of high snow crab abundance and an important area for the snow crab fishery. In May of 2003, DFO established a Crab Conservation Area that restricts crab fishing in a portion of the survey area. The Science Review and the Ad Hoc Working Group Report both recommended that the Board consider the results of the Environmental Studies Research Fund (ESRF) study conducted in Newfoundland on the effects of seismic on snow crab, before finalizing any authorization. The Board reviewed the results of this study. In addition, the comments from the peer reviews, DFO and other environmental scientists and fishers have been considered. The Board acknowledges the limitations of the study and agrees that additional research is needed to confirm many of the findings. Although the significance of many of the findings is open to interpretation, one observation that can be taken from the study is that there was no immediate or delayed mortality of snow crab exposed to seismic. The study does indicate that there may be concern with respect to egg development in female crabs. However, this result was based on a sound source being located 2-metres from the fertilized eggs. In the case of the program proposed by Corridor Resources Inc., the water depth is greater than 40 metres, thus it is unlikely that similar results would be experienced. The results of the ESRF study, although limited, are in line with the preliminary judgment of the Science Review that there would be no perceptible negative impact on snow crab populations. Although DFO expressed some concern about proceeding with the program at this time, it also indicated it recognizes the potential value in implementing a research program using this small-scale seismic program. It is anticipated that through the use of this program several research questions with respect to the impacts of seismic on crab populations will be answered and that this research will influence future decision-making with respect to this area. The history of the area has also been considered. The area immediately west of Cape Breton Island has been subject to more than 4,000 kilometres of seismic between 1967 and 1982. Although the potential effects of this activity have never been studied, there have been no known negative impacts on snow crab. Consideration was given to the duration of the proposed program and the size of the sound source. Typically seismic programs operating on the Scotian Shelf or Slope range from 30 to more than 100 days in duration. The proposed program is comparatively very short, with an estimated duration of six days. The program will involve a reduced energy source, with the use of a 1000 to 1500 cubic inch air gun array, as opposed to the more frequently used 2000-5500 cubic inch arrays. After reviewing all environmental components relating to the proposed program and the evidence presented, the Board believes that since the program is of small duration and scale; that the mitigative measures outlined will significantly reduce any potential impacts to the environment and is unlikely to result in significant adverse environmental impacts; and that research collected during the program will be valuable to future decision-making. The Board has therefore authorized the activity subject to adherence with the proposed mitigation and monitoring programs. The Board has also lifted the Prohibition Order on Exploration Licences 2364, 2365 and 2368 effective November 27th, 2003. -30- For further information, contact: Barbara Pike Public Information Coordinator Canada - Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board 902-496-0744 (office) 902-221-5611 (Cell) Andrew Dumbrille Communications Coordinator Sierra Club of Canada www.sierraclub.ca Phone: 613-241-4611 Fax: 613-241-2292 ____________________________________________________________________________ Did a friend forward this to you? Join sust-mar yourself! Just send 'subscribe sust-mar' to mailto:majordomo@chebucto.ca
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