From the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to BP Canada Energy Group ULC re: conformity of the Environmental Impact Statement
Document Reference Number: 20
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
1801 Hollis Street Suite 200
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 3N4
Agence canadienne d'évaluation environnementale
1801, rue Hollis, bureau 200
Halifax (Nouvelle-Écosse)
B3J 3N4
November 8, 2016
CEAR ID: 80109
Ms. Anita Perry
Regional Manager, Nova Scotia
BP Canada Energy Group ULC
Suite 505, CIBC Building
1809 Barrington Street
Halifax, NS B3J 3K8
Sent via email to: anita.perry@bp.com
Dear Ms. Perry:
SUBJECT: Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Scotian Basin Exploration Drilling Project – Results of Second-round Conformity Review
On May 31, 2016, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) received the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and EIS Summary (English and French) for the Scotian Basin Exploration Drilling Project (the Project) that is proposed by BP Canada Energy Group ULC. The Agency reviewed the EIS in light of the requirements of the Guidelines for the Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS Guidelines) that were sent to you on October 27, 2015. On June 30, 2016, the Agency wrote to you to identify deficiencies in the EIS and requested that the EIS be amended and re-submitted.
The Agency received the revised EIS on October 21, 2016 and has reviewed it to determine whether or not it provides information on the deficiencies that had been identified. The Agency determined that additional information has been provided and hereby advises you that the revised EIS and EIS Summary have been accepted for public comment, Indigenous consultation and technical review. Conformance with the EIS Guidelines does not imply that the information provided is adequate to support the environmental assessment; the Agency will request further information, once it has conducted a technical review.
The EIS and EIS Summary will be posted on the Agency's website for a comment period by the public and Indigenous peoples and will also be reviewed by experts within the federal government and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board. The comment period will end on December 9, 2016. The Agency expects to issue Information Requests (IRs) to you based on the results of the technical review, and on input received from public and Indigenous participants.
Please contact me if you require further information. I can be reached at 902-426-9458 or derek.mcdonald@ceaa-acee.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
<Original signed by>
Derek McDonald, P.Eng.
Project Manager, Atlantic Region