Central Ridge Exploration Drilling Project — Public Comments Invited

January 23, 2020 — Ottawa — Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) is conducting a federal environmental assessment of the Central Ridge Exploration Drilling Project, proposed by Equinor Canada Ltd., located approximately 375 kilometres offshore, east of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Agency invites the public and Indigenous groups to comment on the potential environmental effects of the project and the proposed measures to prevent or mitigate those effects as described in the proponent's summary of the abridged Environmental Impact Statement. The assessment will focus on new information and effects specific to the project and will not reassess information previously approved for the Flemish Pass Exploration Drilling Project located within the same area.

Written comments in either official language will be accepted until February 22, 2020.

Comments can be submitted online by visiting the project home page on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (reference number 80175). All comments received will be published online as part of the project file.

For more information on the project, the review process and alternative means of submitting comments, visit the Agency's website at canada.ca/iaac.

Following the public comment period, the Agency will prepare the draft Environmental Assessment Report and the potential environmental assessment conditions for the project. The public will be invited to comment on these documents during a final public comment period on this project.