ARCHIVED – Meeting Summary – 6 December 2010

Introductory Remarks (NEB):

• An overview of the Arctic Offshore Drilling Review was provided, including the events leading up to the Review, the mandate of the NEB and the various phases of the Review.
• The WMAC (NWT) was asked "what questions do you need answers to prior to the NEB considering an application for offshore drilling?"

Dialogue with WMAC (NWT) members:

In response to the question put forward, a number of areas of interest and concern were raised by WMAC (NWT) members, including:

1. Clarity of Mandate and Authority of the NEB with respect to offshore drilling:
   
   
   • What the legal standing of NEB decisions is and, in particular, whether a decision of the NEB can be overturned by government
   • What factors are considered by the NEB (safety and protection of the environment)
   • What factors are considered through other processes, including environmental assessment processes (IFA/CEAA)
     
     
2. Community Meetings:
   
   
   • Use of visuals would be helpful
   • Lead time (about 2 months) will be required prior to going into individual communities
   • Set out clearly, and in a plain language format, what is already in place (legislation and regulations) for environmental protection and safety
   • Presentations and questions being put to communities need to be well understood – they should be presented to the HTCs and Community Corporations in advance
   • Need to be clear upfront the NEB is going to the communities to gather input and will not have answers to all the questions that will likely be raised
   • Community members may identify research that is needed – how the research is funded needs further consideration given BREA activities'
   • Aim to increase overall understanding of NEB
     
     
3. Emergency Response and Preparedness:
   
   
   • There is concern for the state of preparedness to protect the coast
   • Impact of the currents and tides and where a spill would travel are of concern and need to be understood
   • There needs to be clarity as to who is responsible for the cost of cleanup
   • Resources and infrastructure need to be available and accessible to respond to an incident – equipment should be kept on the ships to respond and not rely on having equipment in communities
   • Requirements for a same season relief well – this will be something of particular interest to community members
   • Who are the first responders?
     
     
4. Environmental Protection and Enforcement:
   
   
   • What are the NEB's enforcement powers (financial penalties and shutting down of operations)
   • As time goes on, assuming offshore drilling is approved, there is a need to make sure equipment and systems are being maintained
     
     
5. Financial Responsibility:
   
   
   • What the requirements are and the legal authority to require evidence of financial responsibility needs to be understood and clear
     
     
6. General:
   
   
   • In light of the events in the Gulf of Mexico, there is concern about offshore drilling in the Arctic
   • Given the ongoing impacts of the spill in Alaska, people are disturbed by what is still there
   • Recognition that people need energy but not at any cost – need to find the right balance
   • Meaning of an "incident" needs clarification
   • Need to keep on top of the status of the "unsinkable drill ship";
     
   
   
7. Unique Arctic Environment:
   
   
   • The ice will create a larger challenge in respect of responding if things go wrong
     
     
8. Value of Resources:
   
   
   • People rely on wildlife and everything would be affected by oil, including their source of food
   • A blowout would change the way of life of people in the North
   • People depend on the ocean as well as the land – cannot point to any singular species as they are all connected and important
   • The value of wildlife and habitat needs to be explicitly considered in quantitative terms

Concluding Remarks:

• Le CCGF (T.N.-O.) soumettra ses questions par écrit, dans une lettre à l'ONÉ
• Les membres du CCGF (T.N.-O.) ont offert leur aide et leur soutien à l'ONÉ, pour la planification de l'engagement communautaire dans la RDI.
• L'ONÉ ne soutient pas le forage en mer, pas plus qu'il ne s'y oppose : son travail est de veiller à la sécurité et à la protection de l'environnement.