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October 1, 1999
(Environment and Labour)


National ban on bulk water exports

Environment and Labour Minister Oliver Landgon today announced that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will endorse, and fully supports, a permanent national ban on new bulk water export projects.

"The federal government has called for a national moratorium on bulk water exports, and the province is already participating in a temporary moratorium on new projects," said Minister Langdon. "As well, at this fall's meeting of environment ministers, I intend to press for an early conclusion to negotiations and speedy implementation of a national accord banning the export of bulk water."

Minister Langdon said the national debate on bulk water export has been intense. "The debate has been highlighted in this province because of a proposed project to export water in bulk from Gisborne Lake."

"We must apply the existing rules and regulatory process fairly to the Gisborne Lake project and its proponent, the McCurdy Group," explained the minister. "This project was registered under the provincial EA process three years ago, consistent with the policies of the day, and well before the call for a national moratorium was made by the federal government in February of this year."

"Following thorough assessment, the province has concluded it must conditionally discharge the Gisborne Lake project from the provincial environmental review process, but this does not mean project approval," said Minister Langdon.

While the provincial environmental review has not identified any technical or environmental grounds to prohibit the project, Minister Langdon said the Gisborne Lake project cannot be considered simply on a stand alone basis.

"This government has significant questions about the implications of the project on Canada's trade and national environmental policies. These are federal responsibilities that can't be dealt with under the provincial review process."

Minister Langdon has written to the federal Minister of Environment calling on the federal government to comprehensively address the trade and national policy impacts of this project as part of its own ongoing review of the Gisborne Lake project.

"This government believes that it is the federal government's responsibility to decisively assess the implications of the Gisborne Lake project from a national perspective," said the minister. "The issues which are most pressing relate to federal responsibilities like trade, and national and international environmental issues like global water shortages and climate change. It is our opinion that the federal government is the only government which can assess whether this project creates a precedent which could impact on Canada's sovereign right to control its resources."

Minister Langdon said government's decision effectively prohibits the Gisborne Lake project from proceeding without federal consent.

Media contact: Sean Kelly, Director of Communications, (709) 729-2575.

1999 10 01                  2:45 p.m.


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