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What is the mailing address for the headquarters of Mines and Energy?
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Mines and Energy
50 Elizabeth Avenue
P.O. Box 8700
St. John's, NL A1B 4J6
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Where can I find fossils in Newfoundland?
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The best person to ask is
Doug Boyce, the Provincial paleontologist. He can provide pointers to various
sites and publications. In fact, if you visit the
Education Resources Page, Doug has a short paper on the
fossils of Newfoundland & Labrador. Many sites are highlighted in "
A Traveller's Guide to the Geology of Newfoundland and Labrador",
a map and guidebook to the geology of Newfoundland and Labrador. This can
be ordered from the
Geological Association of Canada
Publications Department
Department of Earth Sciences
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, NL A1B 3X5
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Where can I get educational resource materials, including rocks and minerals?
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Check:
Educational Resources
Department of Natural Resources
(709) 729-6193
Norm Mercer
e-mail: nlm@zeppo.geosurv.gov.nf.ca
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How do I order maps, reports and other published information?
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Document Ordering
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Does the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador offer any grant or subsidy
programs for consumers who want to switch to alternate energy sources or
more environmentally responsible sources of heat?
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Currently, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador does not offer any
grant or subsidy programs to consumers purchasing either alternate or more
environmentally friendly methods of producing heat or electricity.
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| 1.
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Apart from hydroelectric power, are there any plans to produce energy from other
renewable resources such as peat or wind in this province?
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Nearly all peat currently harvested in the province is utilized as horticultural peat
or is processed into other industrial products. There are no plans at this time to produce
electricity from the combustion of peat.
Wind power has been tried unsuccessfully in the past, but the technology has
improved in recent years. A wind
energy demonstration project is currently underway in the province to determine
if the wind potential in Newfoundland and Labrador may be used to our advantage through
the generation of electricity.
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Does the province have any 'green power' rates?
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Not as present. It is worth noting that almost all the power we generate,
and about three-quarters of what we use within the province, comes from a
renewable source-water.
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Are there any new sources of electricity being developed in the province
at this time?
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The
Granite Canal hydroelectric
development is currently under construction and is scheduled to produce electrical
energy by the summer of 2003. Also, more generation is being installed at the
Abitibi-Consolidated mill in Grand Falls-Windsor and at the Corner Brook Pulp
and Paper mill. Some of this new power will serve to supply the Island grid.
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1.
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What is the process of developing offshore resources?
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Once a company finds a commercially-viable source of petroleum it has to file a
Development Plan with the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NOPB).
A Development Plan includes method of development, a benefits plan and environmental,
health and safety components. A more detailed description can be found on the
C-NOPB website under
Publications/Guidelines/Development Application Guidelines
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What bidding criteria is used in a Request for Bids?
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The Petroleum Regulations require that a single bidding criteria be utilized.
To date the criteria has been "work expenditure commitment", but
the Minister has the power to decide upon the criteria. It could take the form
of a straight cash bid or any other form. Where the bidding criteria is in the
form of work commitments the winning bidders are required to submit security
deposits against future work commitments. If the work expenditures are not
incurred the deposits are forfeited to the Crown.
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What rights do I gain if I am the winning bidder in a Request for Bids?
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The winning bidder for a given land parcel (provided he or she comes up
with the required security deposit) is issued an "exploration permit" (or
"permit" for short). The permit provides the permittee with the exclusive
right to drill for petroleum within the permit area for a period of five years (the
primary term). Where the permittee complies with the regulations, the terms
and conditions of the permit, and drills a well during the primary term, the
pemittee can extend the permit into a two year "secondary term".
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| 1.
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What is the Atlantic Accord?
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The Atlantic Accord is the agreement (dated February 11, 1985) between
the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada on
offshore petroleum resource management and revenue sharing. Among other things the
agreement provides for the joint management of the offshore area by a federal-provincial
board (the CNOPB) and the collection of royalties as if the petroleum resources were
located on land.
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What constitutes the offshore area?
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As defined in the Atlantic Accord legislation:
"offshore area" means those submarine areas lying seaward of the low
water mark of the Province and extending, at any location, as far as
(a) any prescribed line, or
(b) where no line is prescribed at that location, the outer edge of the
continental margin or a distance of two hundred nautical miles from the baselines
from which the breadth of the territorial sea of Canada is measured, whichever is
the greater.
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What is the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board
(CNOPB)?
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The CNOPB is the
federal-provincial agency put in place to administer petroleum related activity
in the offshore area. The CNOPB’s duties include (among other things) the issuance
and administration of petroleum rights, drilling approvals and seismic program approvals.
The CNOPB also reviews and approves development plans. Certain decisions of the CNOPB
(called fundamental decisions) are subject to approval by the federal and provincial
energy ministers. Fundamental decisions include decisions regarding lands to
be offered in a Call for Bids and the approval of development plans.
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What is the Energy Council?
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The Energy Council is a legislative organization of ten
energy-producing states ranging from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.
These member states produce more than 80 per cent of United States (U.S.) oil
and gas output and include leading coal, uranium, and renewable energy-producing
states. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the province of Alberta and
the nation of Venezuela are the Energy Council’s three international
affiliates.
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Why is Newfoundland and Labrador a member of the Energy
Council?
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Newfoundland and Labrador became a member of the Energy Council in
December 2001. Government is committed to actively pursuing all
opportunities to encourage and promote new investment in this province’s energy
resource base.
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1.
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What role does CZMP play in Newfoundland and Labrador' offshore petroleum industry?
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CZMP is part of the larger practice of environmental protection.
Even though the province has not completed a formal CZMP it continues to
work towards it. The Department of Environment is currently leading this file.
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2.
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Are there any other initiatives similar to CZMP in Canada?
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The Federal Government, in consultation with relevant stakeholders,
is presently working on Canada’s Oceans Strategy. This includes elements of coastal
zone management, integrated resource management of ocean resources and marine
protected areas. For more information on this you can visit the
Department
of Fisheries and Oceans website.
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3.
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Is the fishing industry involved in CZMP in Newfoundland and Labrador?
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Yes, One Ocean is a new initiative where representatives of the Fish, Food
and Allied Workers (FFAW) and Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (FANL)
and the offshore petroleum industry work together in properly developing and utilizing
marine resources. One Ocean is funded by the petroleum industry.
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