The Province has approved an environmental protection plan for a longstanding proposal to develop a marine base catering to the offshore oil industry in Fermeuse, but with conditions.
Fermeuse Enterprises Limited (FEL) initially registered its application in November 2014.
The president of the company is Steinar Engeset, who is based in Nova Scotia. He’s a former Honorary Consul for Norway with large interests in the international seafood industry and is currently president of Labrador Sea (2004) Ltd., which has a majority interest in Harbour Grace Shrimp Company, which is the main shareholder in Fermeuse Enterprises Ltd.
According to the company’s original filing with the Environment Department, FEL intended to construct a facility with 12 berths, a semi-submersible rig servicing quay, multiple laydown areas with crane and heavy lift capabilities and various site buildings for maintenance, administration and other purposes related to providing services to the province’s oil sector.
The total land area of the base was to be approximately 15.3 hectares mostly around Lumley Cove and Lawe’s Point in Fermeuse. The proponents had hoped to start construction as early as the summer of 2015 and be in operation late 2016 or early 2017. The property released the project from environmental assessment in 2017, but required submission of an environmental protection plan. Environment Minister Bernard Davis signed off on that plan just before Christmas.
According to the conditions set by the department, FEL must uphold all commitments made in its environmental assessment submissions to mitigate the effects of the project on the environment. The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture also requires that FEL maintain a 30-metre undisturbed buffer around bird nests in the area during their nesting season from April 15 to July 31.
FEL must also submit an environmental protection plan for the operations phase of the project prior to commencement of any actual operations related to servicing the oil industry. An environmental protection plan is also required before the company eventually decommissions the base, assuming it goes ahead with the project.
