CALL FOR BIDS NS18-3: WRITTEN COMMENTS SUMMARY

Call for Bids NS18-3

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) issued Call for Bids NS18-3, which includes two industry-nominated parcels, on December 10, 2018.

The CNSOPB administers the Call for Bids process on behalf of the federal and provincial governments for the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area. This includes identifying Call for Bids Forecast Areas, selecting yearly Call for Bids parcels, reviewing industry nominations, receiving and reviewing bids, and awarding Exploration Licences (ELs). The issuance of a Call for Bids and the award of ELs are both subject to a federal and provincial Ministerial review and approval process as set out in legislation.

The annual Call for Bids process gives oil and gas companies the opportunity to bid on parcels of Crown land, and, if successful, be awarded an EL. EL holders may apply to the CNSOPB to explore for oil and gas, but no activity can take place without authorization.

Written Comments

As the regulator of the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore, we recognize that in carrying out our regulatory processes, it is important to engage with Indigenous groups and the public. 

An opportunity to submit written comments specific to the areas included in Call for Bids NS18-3 was provided from December 10, 2018 to February 8, 2019.  This opportunity was communicated to:

• Indigenous groups in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island
• The CNSOPB Fisheries Advisory Committee
• Mayors and Wardens of Nova Scotia Municipalities

We also advertised the opportunity to the public in the Chronicle Herald, The Cape Breton Post, LighthouseNOW, The Casket, and The Tri-County Vanguard – provincial and local news publications that reach audiences across Nova Scotia, as well as on Twitter.

Summary of Comments Submitted

There were a total of 3,272 total comments received, of these:

• There were 18 individual submissions
  
  • 10 from Atlantic region
  • 3 from Canada-other
  • 5 from unknown locations
• There were 519 modified form letter submissions
  
  • 11 entries were removed due to duplication (new total of 508)
  • 89 from Nova Scotia postal codes/locations
  • 377 from Canada-other
  • 42 were either associated with an international postal code or an unknown location
• There were 2,735 identical form letter submissions
  
  • 65 entries were removed due to duplication (new total of 2,670)
  • 331 from Nova Scotia postal codes/locations
  • 2,119 from Canada-other
  • 219 were either associated with an international postal code or an unknown location

* Please see the table below to view the comments received.

What We Heard

The main issues and concerns raised:

Not worth the risk to wildlife and special areas

The majority of the comments submitted expressed a policy position – no petroleum activity should take place, particularly on or near Sable Island National Park Reserve, as it is a special area and a habitat for wildlife, and that governments should move towards a more sustainable economy and renewable energy sources.

Consultation with Indigenous communities

There were comments submitted regarding the potential impacts on Mi’kmaq Rights, including Indigenous fisheries, such as Aboriginal commercial fisheries and Aboriginal communal commercial fisheries.

Risks of a potential spill and the impact this could have on fisheries and tourism

There were comments submitted addressing concerns of potential oil spills and the requirement for effective enforcement and response measures

Summary

We would like to thank everyone who submitted comments to help us better understand perspectives and concerns to assist us in making informed decisions. 

It’s important to understand that whether or not oil and gas activity may take place in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area is a matter of government policy, and as such is outside of the mandate of the CNSOPB – the CNSOPB’s role is to enforce the Accord Acts legislation and regulations, as put in place by governments. 

It’s also important to note that should an EL be issued, it does not mean that an operator may begin work offshore. No activity can take place without an authorization being granted by the CNSOPB for the specific activity.

Should we issue an EL and receive an application for activity, there are many things that we look at before an activity authorization is granted:

Appropriate applications and documentation – An operator must sufficiently demonstrate to the CNSOPB that any proposed activity would be conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Our staff conducts a thorough review of the information submitted for compliance with legislation and regulations. The Call for Bids NS18-3 parcels are in a region of the Nova Scotia offshore area (Sable Subbasin) that contains proven gas reserves. Any exploration wells drilled on these parcels would be targeting natural gas and not oil; however, as a contingency, a spill response plan would need to be submitted for review and approval by the CNSOPB before any activity may take place. 

Special Areas – We would evaluate if there are any enhanced mitigation measures that would be required to meet the necessary conservation objectives for special areas like the Gully Marine Protected Area and the Sable Island National Park Reserve.  This would include consulting with Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

Project Specific Environmental Assessments – A project-specific Environmental Assessment (EA) must be undertaken as part of any application submitted by an operator to conduct activity in the Canada-Nova Scotia offshore area, with specific consideration for proposed activity within special areas, including the Sable Island National Park Reserve and Gully Marine Protected Area.

A project-specific EA further evaluates potential adverse environmental effects associated with a proposed project, determines the precise mitigation measures that would need to be implemented to mitigate adverse environmental effects, and predicts whether there will be significant adverse environmental effects after mitigation measures are implemented.  

Next Steps

The Board of the CNSOPB will review the comments received prior to considering the issuance of ELs offshore Canada-Nova Scotia. All comments received are posted on Call for Bids NS18-3’s website for the public to view as well as for potential bidders to review prior to bidding on a parcel. These comments can be found in the table below.

The Call for Bids NS18-3 is still open. Bids must be received by May 8, 2019 before 4:00 p.m. AST. Successful bidder(s) may be awarded ELs, subject to the federal and provincial Ministerial review and approval process set out in legislation.

If ELs are issued for these parcels, the effective date will be July 12, 2019.

* Please note that we have redacted language that may be offensive to some.