File OF-EP-GeopOp-B250-5554136 0201 13 July 2009
To:
All Interested Parties BP Exploration Company Limited (BP) Pokak 3D Seismic Program - Environmental Screening Report
On 25 February 2009, BP applied to the National Energy Board (NEB, or the Board), pursuant to paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act (COGOA), for authorization to conduct a geophysical operation entitled the BP Exploration Pokak 3D Seismic Program (the Project). The proposed Project would include the acquisition of two and/or three dimensional (2D and 3D, respectively) seismic data within open waters of the Beaufort Sea, in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR). As part of its responsibilities under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEA Act), the NEB initiated an environmental assessment for the Project. The Board determined that public participation was appropriate in the circumstances of this Project in accordance with section 18(3) of the CEA Act, and posted a Scope of the Environmental Assessment for the Project on 21 May 2009. The Board subsequently posted a draft Environmental Screening Report (ESR) for public review and comment on 3 June 2009. Two letters of comment were received by the NEB during the Public Participation period of comment: a letter from the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) dated 9 June 2009 and a letter from Ecojustice on behalf of WWF Canada, dated 17 June 2009. A response to the comments submitted was also provided to the Board by BP on 23 June 2009. All letters can be viewed on the NEB website (www.neb-one.gc.ca) under Public Registries/Anticipated Applications. The Board has considered the public comments received regarding the Project, and has completed the ESR for the Project. Appendix 1 of the ESR provides a summary of these comments, some of which resulted in wording changes to the ESR. Explanations have been included for the comments that did not result in a change to the ESR. The Board has also made wording changes within the ESR for clarity and consistency.
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-2The Board has determined, pursuant to paragraph 20(1)(a) of the CEA Act, that taking into account the implementation of BP’s environmental protection procedures and proposed mitigation measures, the proposed Project would not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. Thank you for your interest in this Project. Yours truly,
Claudine Dutil-Berry Secretary of the Board
Attachments
Attachment to NEB letter Dated 13 July 2009 Page 1 of 4
Distribution List
Sophie Hildebrand Beaufort Sea Exploration Manager BP Exploration Company Limited 240 – 4th Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 2H8
TELEPHONE: 403-233-6399 FASCIMILE: 403-233-6399
EMAIL: sophie.hildebrand@bp.com
Shauna Sigurdson Director Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Alberta Regional Office 61 Airport Road Edmonton, AB T5G 0W6
TELEPHONE: 780-495-2236 FASCIMILE: 780-495-2076
EMAIL: shauna.sigurdson@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
Doug Soloway Supt., EA Management Program Environmental Affairs, Programs Transport Canada P.O. Box 8550, 344 Edmonton St. Winnipeg, MN R3C 0P6
TELEPHONE: 204-983-7705 FASCIMILE: 204-983-5048
EMAIL: solowayd@tc.gc.ca
Attachment to NEB letter Dated 13 July 2009 Page 2 of 4 Craig D. Miller Marine Inspector Transport Canada Box 8550, 344 Edmonton Street Winnipeg, MN R3C 0P6
TELEPHONE: 204-984-0397 FASCIMILE : 204-984-8417
EMAIL: craig.miller@tc.gc.ca
Mike Fournier Environmental Assessment Coordinator Environment Canada Northern Section Suite 301, 5204 50th Avenue Yellowknife, NT X1A 1E2
TELEPHONE: 867-669-4743 FASCIMILE: 867-873-8185
EMAIL: mike.fournier@ec.gc.ca . Stacey L. Lambert Environmental Assessment Coordinator Environment Canada Environmental Protection Operations 4th Floor, 5019 – 52nd Street, Yellowknife, NT Yellowknife, NT X1A 1T5
TELEPHONE: 867-669-4748 FASCIMILE: 867-873-8185
EMAIL: Stacey.Lambert@EC.gc.ca
Attachment to NEB letter Dated 13 July 2009 Page 3 of 4 Amanda Joynt Fish Habitat Biologist Fisheries and Oceans Canada Western Arctic Area - Central and Arctic Region P.O. Box 1871, Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0
TELEPHONE: 867-777-7515 FASCIMILE: 867-777-7501
EMAIL: Amanda.Joynt@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Samson Dazogbo Environmental Assessment Officer Natural Resources Canada 580 Booth Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0E4
TELEPHONE: 613-995-7609 FASCIMILE: 613-995-5719
EMAIL: Samson.Dazogbo@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca
Teresa LeMay Environmental Assessment Officer Natural Resources Canada 580 Booth Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0E4
TELEPHONE: 613-992-8791 FASCIMILE: 613-995-5719
EMAIL: Teresa.LeMay@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca
Attachment to NEB letter Dated 13 July 2009 Page 4 of 4 Gavin More Manager, Environmental Assessment Environment and Natural Resources Government of Northwest Territories 3rd Floor, YK Centre East 4915 – 48th Street Yellowknife, NT X1A 3S4
TELEPHONE: 867- 920-6595 FASCIMILE: 867-873-4021
EMAIL: Gavin_More@gov.nt.ca Dr. Keith Ferguson, Ph.D. Staff Lawyer, Ecojustice Canada Ecojustice Canada, on behalf of WWF Canada 131 Water Street, Suite 214 Vancouver, BC V6B 4M3
TELEPHONE: 604-685-5618, ext. 287 FASCIMILE: 604-685-7813
EMAIL: kferguson@ecojustice.ca
Paul Einarsson Chairman, C.O.O. Geophysical Service Incorporated 400, 400 5th Avenue S.W. Calgary, AB T3H 2G5
TELEPHONE: 403-514-6260 FASCIMILE: 403-215-2724
EMAIL: peinarsson@geophysicalservice.com