Cape Roberts Project Environmental
Impact Assessment
Summary:
The highest level of environmental impact
assessment for the project, a Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation, was undertaken in 1993, and circulated as required by the Antarctic Treaty System’s Protocol on Environmental Protection. The final document (Keys, 1994) has been the basis for annual environment reviews since that time. None have had a significant impact or disturbance to the sea floor or to the wild life in the Cape Roberts area (Waterhouse, 1999;
Maggs, 1999).
Once the project management had been agreed, one of the first tasks for the project operator, Antarctica New Zealand, was to initiate an environmental impact assessment.
This required a Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation
(CEE), as prescribed by the Protocol on Environment Protection (a part of the Antarctic Treaty System, and agreed in 1991). This is the highest level of environmental impact assessment required by the Protocol, and was the first of its kind undertaken.
It was prepared in draft in early 1993 by Dr Harry Keys (NZ Department of Conservation), and circulated to all Treaty parties for comment. It was organised under the following headings:
- Description of the proposed activity
- Description of the Initial Environment
- Description of Methods and data used to forecast impacts
- Nature, extent
,
duration and intensity of potential direct impacts
Potential indirect impacts
Cumulative impacts
Mitigation measures
Unavoidable impacts
Effect on research and other existing uses and values
Gap in knowledge and uncertainties
Conclusions and recommendations
The final version taking into account comments received by Treaty parties was published in January 1994.
In 1998 New Zealand invited an independent review of the project’s activities against its
CEE. The Australian Antarctic Division Environmental Manager visited the drill site and the camp and found the activity he assessed to be in accordance with the CEE and within the limits of the environmental monitoring programmes in place. He noted that the commitment to environmental protection was a part of the CRP organisational culture, with staff familiar with the environmental issues. The overall conclusion was that the project’s activity has resulted in negligible environmental impact. The full report can be obtained from Antarctica NZ.
Contact: e.waterhouse@antarcticanz.govt.nz
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