AIO - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 8, 2002

Study then drill, report advises

Don’t expect offshore oil action this decade

By JEFF NAGEL THERE’s no scientific basis to keep a ban on offshore oil exploration, concludes a scientific panel,

But don’*t-expect-dril- - jing to begin in Hecate Strait for years te come.

While two reports on offshore oil released last week amount to another step lowards exploration in north coast waters, they also flag numerous issues and call for much more-re- search to fill in) major “knowledge gaps” ahead of lifting the moratorium.

In fact the number of is- sues raised by both the three-member ‘scientific panel and a committee of MLAs that toured the coast has comforted some critics who feared: the re- ports were a prelude to an all-out push to start dril- ling,

“My thoughts were they were just going to make an announcement ‘We're pro- ceeding, period’,” said Tsimshian chief negotiator Gerald Wesley. “Their caution in formulating a response is positive for First Nations and that’s a little bit surprising. Maybe they're hearing us.”

He said the two reports seemed “pretty fair” and not obviously swayed by

Gerald Wesley

after Victoria invites oil companies to submit pro- posals to tap the north coast seabed.

The offshore decision boils down to risk, she said,

“I’m not sure that a lot of environmental -groups and First Nations are pre- pared to live with the same risks the province is,” Patterson said;

The scientific report un- derscores the need for “significantly: higher” un- derstanding of the sea bot- tom and ocean conditions in Hecate strait,

“Development cannot be undertaken without some impacts on the en- vironment, and the objec- tive should be to maintain risks at an acceptable level and to mitigate them immediately and effect-

politics. ively.” th t 5 “T hope that it means "5 a has been j Says. we have more time,” alety en improv~

ing in the industry, and im- proved techniques and me- thodology are available for assessing and dealing with risks,”

B.C.'s offshore poses risks such as earthquakes, tsunamis, severe storms, high tidal ranges and cur- rents, the scientific report Says.; .

Wesley said, adding abori- ginal communities remain deeply concerned about the environmental risks of offshore drilling.

Michelle Patterson, a Prince Rupert-based cam- paigner for the World Wildlife Fund, is less opti- mistic the government won't press ahead quickly

events,” it says, “Oil: and gus are being produced offshore under the full range of cunditions~ found in virtually every variety of natural environment in the world.” :

The scientific panel

also suggests government cutbacks are an obstacle, noting the public service's ability to regulate the range of offshore. activities appears to be “deficient.”

Energy minister Richard Neufeld’ says he won't speculate on when a deci- sion may ‘be made to lift the moratorium.

“We want to do this in the best caoperative way we can,” he said. “We don’t want:to do it in a half-baked way.”

But he said he has al- ways maintained activity

offshore is years away.

Neufeld said industry officials have told him if everything were in place - scientific. work, regulations

‘and clarity on. who owns

the resource — it would take them a minimum of six years from that point forward before work might start,

He suggested it might take three years to get to that point — meaning nine-

plus years to drilling,

Huge uncertainty

shrouds the offshore, not- ably the newly filed Haida court case asserting abori- ginal title to the Charlottes and the seabed.

surrounding

Another area, Neufeld

said, are negoliations with Ottawa over revenue shar-

ing.

“Those kinds of things

are probably going to stretch us a whole bunch,”

he said, ta actual , drilling |

She sdid=the atieitijesee=Rlatiorms: bain. be: de-/UelBsebte iaZdebadesaway.

report signals much re-

search would take place frees caused by these

signed to withstand the

RECOMMENDATIONS

@ Federal and pravinciai governments gain significantly

higher ievels of understanding of the sea-botiom and sub-

surlace conditions of the B.C. offshore, in particular the

Queen Chariotte Basin and Hecate Strait.

@ Comprehensive data on marine species and their habi-

tats be gathered before drilling bagins.

@ Enhance B.C.'s ail spill response and countermeasures

for areas to be designated for exploration,

@ Rebuild scientific and requlatory expertise in

provincial/federal agencies that would oversee offshore ‘ exploration,

@ A cost-benefit analsyis should assess alternative stra-

tegies for use of the marine ecosystem.

@ Pipelines be used to offload oll fram platforms to the

mainland, rather than shuttle tankers.

HA separale regulatory body be in charge of health ansd

safety compliance,

@ Prepare a plan to train B.C. residents to fill the jobs in the

offshore.

@ Ensure participation of First Nations and northern B.C.

coastal communities in this new Industry.

aiso faces considerable political uncertainty. It would happen not under this provincial and federal government, nor the next ones but the ones after that,

Neufeld says the pro- vince has accepted all the recommendations presen- ted in the two reports.

The new reports rein- force earlier studies there are no fatal flaws preclud- ing an B.C, offshore indu-

Research work is to be led by the University of Northern B.C. It’s getting a $2 million grant from the province, which officials hope will be matched by Ottawa. UNBC is to work with Northwest Commun- ity College.

MacKay’s Funeral Service Ltd,

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HOUSE OF COMMONS

Andy Burton

Member Y parliament for Skeena

Constituency Office

4654 Lazella Ave.

Terrace, B.C, V8G 156 Phone: (250) 635-1401

Fax: (250) 634-4109

Toll Free: 1-800-661-2208 E-mail: andy@andyburton.ca Website: www.andyburlon.ca

Birthday Celebration

An invitation is being extended to me % ELT. Kenney students and statf - to help E.T. Kenney Primary School celebrate its 35th birthday.

3:30 - 5:00 p.m. , Thursday, may 16th, 2002 E.T. Kenney Primary School .

Our present E.T. Kenney students will be celebrating the school's birthday at a special school assembly at 10:30 a.m. on

v4, Friday, May 17th, 2002.

NEW VOTING RIGHTS For First Nations Members Living Off-Reserve

If you are @ Gitanmaax Band Member recardiess of whelher you live on or olf-regerve, 18 year of age or older, you will have the right te vote in indian Act elections and referendums heid by your First Nation,

Haw To Register To Vote?

For Cfl-Reserve band members to participate in the major decisions aftecting your community, your Band Olfice needs to know how to contact you. To register to vote, it is important to provide your name and address to your Band office so that they may contact you prior to. your Band’s next election ar referendum. Off- reserve members can also vote in person at pall on election day,

Gitanmaax Ofl- Flesarve Band Members please contact Linda or Heather, Deputy Electoral Officers with your current address {F mail-in ballot is required, On-reserve band members can request mail-in ballot also, if hey cannot make it to the poll en election day.

The Electoral Officer will send mail-in ballots and voting information to racistered aff-resarve vaters five weeks belore the election.

Gitanmaax Band Council Election: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 9:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M. Gitanmaax Community Hall

For further information, contact: James Westhaver-Elactoral Officer

Deputy Electoral Officers:

Indian & Northern Affairs Linda Hilbach 1-800-683-4590 604-666-2654 or 250-842-5297 Healher Bares 1-800-650-5518 or 250-842-2248 (365) www. gitanmaax.com

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