Wellington – Monday 11 April 2011

Protest against oil exploration to be expected

Protests are to be expected and are legitimate when there has been no opportunity to have any on the Petrobras mineral licence prior to it being granted, the Environment and Conservation Organisations said today.

ECO was responding to the acting Minister of Energy’s criticism of the Greenpeace and Te Whānau ā Apanui protest against Petrobras oil prospecting off the East Cape.

ECO spokesperson, Cath Wallace said the public was not given any opportunity to comment on whether the proposed licence should be granted or on the specific condition.

“When the Government closes people out of decision making then public protest is the only option available to people.”

Cath Wallace said the Government is steamrollering over environmental and cultural concerns.

“There is no public process and no public environmental or cultural assessment procedures in place and no consideration of the impact on climate change of any oil extraction.”

Cath Wallace said New Zealand needs processes to consider environmental and social impacts of activities in the EEZ (12 to 200 nautical miles offshore) and currently we have none despite many promises by successive governments.

“ECO stresses that the public must have a say about any new rules before these are made into law.”

Cath Wallace said the Government was accommodating overseas oil interests while ignoring New Zealanders views.

For further information, contact Cath Wallace on 021-891-994 or Barry Weeber 021-738-807.

Notes:
1. ECO – the Environment and Conservation Organisations was established in 1972 and represents 67 groups with a concern for the environment.

2. The Resource Management Act controls environmental aspects of oil and gas mining out to 12 nautical miles offshore, the edge of the territorial sea. The Maritime Transport Act covers some aspects of safety and environmental provisions for oil and gas activity on the Exclusive Economic Zone (from 12 to 200 nautical miles offshore) and the continental shelf but this did not include key environmental controls which led to the adoption of some unenforceable voluntary codes.

3. Voluntary guidelines which have no legislative force include:
• Environmental Best Practice Guidelines for the Offshore Petroleum Industry (see http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/oceans/offshore-petroleum-industry-guidelines-mar06/index.html)

• Department of Conservation guidelines to minimise disturbance on marine mammals of mineral seismic surveys. These guidelines are currently under review.

4. There are no environmental regulations under the Continental Shelf Act or the Crown Minerals Act. When compared to Australia, Brazil, Canada, US, and the UK, NZ is the only country without a formal consent, referral, permit or environmental assessment process for offshore seismic operations.

5. The Guidelines for Minimising Acoustic Disturbance to Marine Mammals from Seismic Survey Operations’ is currently being reviewed. The review has shown that other countries considered – (Australia, Brazil, Canada, US, and the UK) have mandatory requirements.

6. The proposals to develop gap filling legislation were consulted on in 2007 and 2008. Information can be found on the Ministry for the Environment website http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/oceans/nz-exclusive-economic-zone-discussion-paper-aug07/index.html

7. The Petrobras permit is in water up to 3000m deep which is much deeper than current operating fields and, as shown by the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, would be very challenging to deal with any spill.

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