With almost a month having passed since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that an impact assessment will not be needed for ExxonMobil’s 12-Well Exploration and Appraisal Drilling Programme on the offshore Canje Block and no information on the project publicised, environmental lawyer Melinda Janki has written to the body’s Executive Director seeking to have the issue clarified.
ExxonMobil’s local subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) submitted an application for environmental authorization for its 12-well programme and on August 8, the EPA announced that the project will not significantly affect the environment, thereby exempting it from the requirement of an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).