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Science Response 2011/018

Terra Nova 2010 Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) Program Review

Context

Science Branch (NL Region) has been asked by the Marine Habitat Protection Section, Ecosystems Management Branch, to review the report entitled “Terra Nova 2010 Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) Program”. The Terra Nova EEM program was established to fulfill commitments made in the Terra Nova Environmental Assessment (EA). The main goals of the program have been to assess the accuracy of predictions made during the EA and determine the zone of influence of project contaminants. The first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth EEM Programs were conducted in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. This report discusses the results of the seventh EEM Program, conducted in the summer and fall of 2010, and relates these to findings of previous EEM years (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009) and to the baseline (1997) program.

The findings of the SSRP will assist to formulate a response from the Marine Habitat Protection Division to the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB), on the submission of the results of the seventh EEM Program.

The Marine Habitat Protection Section (NL Region) sent a request to Science Branch on December 6, 2011 and a response was requested by January 9, 2012. A Science Special Response Process (SSRP) was used due to the short deadline for advice.

The objectives of the review were 1) to provide an expert scientific review of the 2010 EEM report for accuracy, completeness, and issues in the context of the previous EEM reports for this program, 2) to determine if the conclusions outlined in the 2010 EEM report are valid, justifiable and defensible based on the data presented 3) to the extent possible using information presented in the current report, relate and comment on the findings of the 2010 EEM report to data obtained in the baseline study and previous six EEM submissions 4) outline any suggested changes, errors and/or deficiencies in the 2010 report.

The monitoring program itself was found to be comprehensive and detailed while the results and their interpretation were clear and well founded. No significant issues and no substantive omissions were noted in the document, and it was recommended that future monitoring be continued in line with the proposed recommendations.

This Science Response report is from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Regional Science Special Response Process (SSRP) of December 6, 2011 to January 9, 2012 on the Science review of the Terra Nova EEM Program 2010. 

Accessibility Notice

This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.

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