The following statement was issued today by Bob Mercer, Minister of Environment. It was also read in the House of Assembly.

Presentation to Standing Committee regarding environmental issues

I rise today to inform Members that earlier today I appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. I expressed my concerns on the risk oil pollution poses to the coast and coastal waters of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our coasts are highly vulnerable to oil pollution. It is estimated that off our south coast alone we lose 100,000 seabirds to oil in the sea every year. A 1990 federal report has stated clearly that the risk of marine oil spills is highest in eastern Canada, particularly for this province, and that Placentia Bay is considered by many to the most likely place in Canada for a major spill.

This risk has only increased over the intervening years since 1990 with increased vessel traffic off our coasts. It is estimated that in 2003, there will be close to 1,000 individual tanker voyages in Placentia Bay alone.

The position of this government is that we need action from the federal government in several critical areas.

Firstly, prevention of oil entering the sea is key. To this end, this province has been pushing the federal agencies responsible for regulation and protection of the marine environment. Prevention of illegal discharges can be greatly enhanced by increased surveillance, enforcement and fines. We need the federal government to express a willingness to stay the course and see prosecution carried through.

Secondly, I told the committee members that I am not comfortable with the state of preparedness to respond to a major spill off the coast of this province. We know that only 15 per cent of Coast Guard�s national emergency response program resources are allocated to the Newfoundland region. In my view, this is unacceptably low considering the level of risk. We understand the Coast Guard will soon initiate a risk analysis for oil spills off our south coast. Yet, this risk analysis will not include a review of the present oil spill response regime. The current regime has been in place for 10 years and considering the increased level of vessel activity off our coasts, it is safe to assume this regime may no longer represent what is appropriate. I have called on the federal government to address the issue of preparedness in the risk analysis. If it is not done, this review is fundamentally flawed.

We all know the jurisdiction for our coastal waters is in the jurisdiction of the federal government. However, should a spill occur, this oil will wash up along our shores and then it will be the people and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador who will be left to deal with it. I urge the federal government to hear our concerns and to take action.

View Presentation (PDF)

Note to Editors: The Report "The Prestige Oil Spill Information and assessment in Galicia, Spain and Spill prevention and mitigation within the tanker industry in London, UK" is available at www.gov.nl.ca/env/whats_new.asp

2003 05 07                                      2:31 p.m.