I am writing to formally oppose the proposed offshore oil and gas exploration activities off Nova Scotia currently under impact assessment.

I have lived in the Gulf of Mexico region and witnessed firsthand the toll that offshore oil and gas development takes on coastal communities and marine ecosystems. Beyond the catastrophic 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill, the Gulf has experienced a steady pattern of smaller leaks, equipment failures, and near misses that don’t always make national or international news, but accumulate real and economic damage over time. They are a predictable cost of doing business at this scale.

I also want to raise something that is often underestimated: offshore exploration and production do not stay offshore. They requiere extensive supporting infrastructure on land including staging yards, pipelines, processing facilities, increased vessel and helicopter traffic, and industrial buildout in and around coastal communities. In a region like ours, South Shore Nova Scotia, where our economy and identity are closely tied to tourism, fishing, and the natural coastline, this kind of Industrial footprint carries risks that go well beyond the hypothetical spill scenario. It changes the character of the coast day to day.

Nova Scotia’s coastal economy depends on clean water, healthy fisheries, and an unspoiled coastline for tourism. A single significant spill or an accumulation of smaller incidents can cause damage which can take decades to reverse, if it can be reversed at all. 
 

Having seen this play out elsewhere, I do not believe the potential economic benefits of offshore drilling justify the risk to our coastline, our marine environment, and the industries that depend on both.

I urge the review panel to reject the proposal to open our waters to oil and gas exploration and production.

Sincerly,

Sebastian Andreu,