OTTAWA, June 18, 2007 - The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, has determined that the comprehensive study process currently underway is the most appropriate type of environmental assessment for the proposed Crude Oil Refinery Project, in Southern Head, Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Minister based his decision on the report and recommendations submitted by the responsible authorities, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The report contains information on each department’s scope of the proposed project, the factors to be considered in the environmental assessment, public concerns submitted to authorities, the potential of the project to cause adverse environmental effects and the ability of the comprehensive studies to address issues relating to the project.
To obtain a copy of the report, contact:
Randy Decker
Environmental Officer
Environmental Affairs, Transport Canada
P.O. Box 1300
Cabot Building
St. John's NL A1C 6H8
Tel.: 709-772-3061
Fax: 709-772-3072
deckerr@tc.gc.ca
Marvin Barnes, Manager
Environmental Assessments and Major Projects
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre
80 East White Hills Road / PO Box 5667
St. John's, NL A1C 5X1
Tel.: 709-772-4912
Fax: 709-772-5562
barnesm@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada will now continue their respective comprehensive studies and submit a single final report to the Minister of the Environment. At that time, the public will have an opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report before the Minister renders his final decision.
Newfoundland and Labrador Refining Corporation, the proponent for the project, is proposing to construct, operate and eventually decommission a 300,000 barrel per day (bbl/d) refinery that could be expanded to 600,000 bbl/d at some future date. The proponent proposes to locate the refinery at Southern Head, between North Harbour and Come-by-Chance Harbour, at the head of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.
The refinery infrastructure will include the process facilities, marine facilities, storage tanks, access road, transmission lines, pipelines, water treatment facility, desalination plant and utilities. The refinery will process imported medium and heavy, high sulphur crude oils into fuel products suitable for the export market. The main products of the refinery will be gasoline, kerosene/jet fuel and Ultra-low Sulphur Diesel with by-products including Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG – C3/C4), Sulphur and Petroleum Coke.
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The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency will act as the Federal Environmental Assessment Coordinator for this environmental assessment in order to coordinate the participation of federal departments.
For more information, media may call:
Nicholas Girard
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: 613-957-0958
