Petroleum Development Moratoria on Georges Bank:  Environmental Decision Making Where Values Predominate

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2000-11, Vol.34 (22), p.4677-4683
• Main Authors: Shaw, D. G, Connor, M. S, Schubel, J. R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Energy; Environmental impact; Environmental regulations; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Global environmental pollution; Marine; Moratoriums; Oil exploration; Petroleum production; Pollution
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es001235d

The U.S. and Canada have each recently extended moratoria on petroleum activities on Georges Bank, an offshore area between Cape Cod and Nova Scotia which is ecologically rich and, historically, has supported valuable fisheries. In both the U.S. and Canada the question of moratorium extension has been viewed in isolation with little reference to the larger goal of optimum overall management of Georges Bank. The U.S. moratorium was extended by executive order without any formal process of public comment or scientific review. In Canada a Georges Bank Review Panel was established by statute to conduct a public review of environmental and socio-economic impacts of petroleum exploration on the bank. The panel examined technical information concerning Georges Bank and offshore petroleum operations and gathered public comments concerning extension of the moratorium. This paper examines the work of the review panel and concludes that (1) the Canadian decision-making process for the question of moratorium extension was much more open than the U.S. process; (2) the Canadian approach to moratorium extension as a yes-or-no question tended to increase the importance of socio-economic and cultural values and preferences and to decrease the importance of detailed and quantitative analysis of technical issues; (3) the alternative approach of determining whether conditions exist under which petroleum development on Georges Bank would be acceptable would have tended to encourage more detailed exploration of technical issues; and (4) the failure to set the question of moratorium extension in the broader context of optimum environmental management of Georges Bank is a serious shortcoming of both U.S. and Canadian policy.