BELUGA WATERS OPENING TO OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT

[Animal 0]

BELUGA WATERS OPENING TO OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT

Thu Jan 5 10:10:31 2006

---The federal government is opening part of a protected beluga whale
habitat in the Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Sea to oil and gas companies.

Companies have until the beginning of May to place their bids on two
parcels of water in the region with protected whale habitat, Ottawa
announced this week.

The parcels comprise about 156,300 hectares. One is about 70
kilometres west of Tuktoyaktuk, and the other is off the northern
coast of the Yukon.

The government is offering nine-year exploration licences to the
successful bidders, in consecutive terms of five and four years.

Between 20,000 and 40,000 beluga whales migrate into the area every
summer because the shallow and relatively warm water offers them easy
access to prey.

Drilling is prohibited in the most sensitive areas but allowed in the
surrounding water, with some restrictions.

Federal officials say environmental screening processes will ensure gas
explorers don't damage whale habitat.

"They have to be aware that it's not full blown or 100 per cent business
as usual if they get a licence in this area," says Richard Casey of the
Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, which regulates oil and gas
development offshore in the North. "There might be some specifics that
will be asked of them.

"If the migratory route happens during a specific period of time, they
won't be allowed to pursue any activity during those months."


However, the move has environmentalists concerned.

Peter Ewins of the World Wildlife Federation says the government should
be thinking more about protecting habitat and less about making money.


"The federal government is clearly continuing to respond to the pressure
of the oil and gas sector to accelerate finds in the Mackenzie Delta-
Beaufort region," he says. "And that's all well and good if there were an
adequate marine and land-based conservation plan in place. There is not."

Pressure is building on the beluga whale habitat in the Delta.

One company wants to dredge through the protected area so it can move its
gas production facility into the area.

Much of the surrounding water is already leased to gas companies.

(with notes from CBC Inuvik reporter Marc Winkler)

Copyright (C) 2006 CBC. All rights reserved.