Environmentalist Simone Mangal-Joly has written to the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) objecting to the EPA’s decision to not require an impact assessment for Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited’s (EEPGL) 12-Well Exploration and Appraisal Drilling programme in the Canje Block offshore Guyana.
In her letter dated August 28, 2021, and seen by Stabroek News, Mangal-Joly stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not provided any information on the proposed activities via a project summary as is usually done with other applications. This, she says, completely undermines the 30-day public consideration exercise as required under Section 11(1) (iv) of the Environmental Protection Act (1996).
On August 8, 2021, the EPA stated that it had received an application for environmental authorisation from EEPGL regarding the project, and had determined that an impact assessment will not be required.
Additionally, she said the EPA also failed to communicate its reasons for not requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project as required under Section 11 (2)(a) of the EPA act. Mangal-Joly pointed out that the Section 11(2)(a) of the EPA act says that the EPA must publish a decision with reasons as to whether: (a) the project will not significantly affect the environment and therefore be exempt from the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment.
“What are the reasons for reaching that conclusion? The EPA cannot possibly imagine that the exercise is simply to say that the reason the activity will not require an EIA is because the Agency has determined that it will not have significant impacts… What is the proposed methodology for this “appraisal and drilling program”? Is the public to understand that this process will involve both seismic surveys and drilling? What are the sound thresholds for seismic survey? How long will each of these activities run for? What depth and nature of drilling will be conducted and what are the associated risks? Is there existing baseline ecological information and direct or indirect fishery industry baseline dependency information on areas in the Canje Block? What are the risks of a well blowout and transboundary liabilities Guyana? Did EEPGL submit a Spill Probability Assessment to inform the EPA’s decision?” she asked.
Mangal-Joly contended that the effects of seismic surveys and the risk of a well blowout during exploratory drilling are not insignificant and are well documented. In fact, she says, they are recognised by the Convention on Biological Diversity.
She posited that the EAB cannot consider its role as neutral in this particular situation, noting that public disclosure of the relevant information is needed for a credible decision on whether an EIA should be required.
“It is astonishing that the EPA has not provided any information whatsoever. In addition to registering my objection to this decision, I am requesting relevant public disclosure without further delay,” she wrote.
