KANGIQTUGAAPIK/CLYDE RIVER
It's a decision that will send shock waves through the waters off Baffin Island, and the National Energy Board's decision to allow seismic testing in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait is causing a similar reaction among residents of shoreline communities.

Clyde River Mayor Jerry Natanine says his community feels ignored by the National Energy Board, which decided to allow seismic testing in Baffin Bay and the Davis Strait despite local opposition. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

"Everyone's saying, why is it going ahead when we were against it?" said Clyde River Mayor Jerry Natanine.

The energy board conducted public meetings in Clyde River, Pond Inlet, Qikiqtarjuaq and Iqaluit in April and May of 2013.

"Our voices don't matter, don't count at all. They did their community tour and heard from the people, the people spoke and they do not seem to be considering what the people said. It makes me furious. It's ridiculous," Natanine said.

Clyde River residents are concerned about the impact of seismic testing, which involves sending pulses of compressed air to make sounds 100,000 louder than a jet engine, according to Greenpeace's website, every 10 seconds for days at a time.

"The types of impacts marine mammals may endure include temporary and permanent hearing loss, abandonment of habitat, disruption of mating and feeding, beach strandings and even death," the website states. "Seismic airguns could devastate marine life, and harm fisheries and coastal economies."

That's Natanine's main concern.

"Our community is really concerned about the whales and the noise it's going to create," he said. "We, too, have narwhals and seals and walruses around our area, and if they were blasting in Baffin Bay, there's nowhere for our whales to get away to. A few years ago, lots of narwhal got stranded in the ice, and it turns out they were doing seismic testing in Greenland at the time."

Oil exploration in Baffin Bay could lead to economic benefits for the community but, right now, the environmental concerns outweigh the prospect of jobs.

"What if there's an oil spill?" Natanine asked. "How are they going to clean it up? When we asked the company doing the seismic testing that, they said, 'Oil drilling is not our concern.' They're not looking at the long term. A few years down the road, there'll be oil drilling and spilling."

Natanine sits as the community representative on the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, which is reviewing its options in the wake of the decision. In 2010, the QIA was successful at the Nunavut Court of Justice in stopping seismic testing in Lancaster Sound, Jones Sound, and North Baffin Bay. Before the energy board decision, it had encouraged the board to wait until a strategic environmental assessment could be completed.

“We have been working on this file since 2011 and have been very clear on our position," president Okalik Eegeesiak stated in a news release. "QIA is pushing for informed decision-making based on a clear understanding of the socio-economic and eco-systemic impacts related to this activity. Communities fear that this type of survey could have a detrimental impact on the wildlife found in the survey area that are an important source of food for them."

With the approval, the surveyors – Multi Klient Invest AS (MKI) – has permission to do seismic testing starting this month and every open-water season for five years.

"Various potential adverse environmental effects of the project were assessed, including effects on marine mammals, traditional harvesting, and commercial fishing," National Energy Board communications advisor Rebecca Taylor stated in an e-mail. "The environmental assessment report concluded that with the implementation of MKI’s commitments, environmental protection procedures and mitigation measures, and compliance with the board’s regulatory requirements and conditions, the project is not likely to result in significant adverse environmental effect."

To reverse the decision, opponents have two means of appeal. One is to get the NEB to reverse its decision. The other is to go to the Federal Court of Appeal within 30 days of the decision.

"Decisions made by the NEB may be appealed to Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal on a point of law or jurisdiction if the court grants permission to appeal it. An appeal cannot be made simply because someone is unhappy with the outcome."

"We feel totally helpless," Natanine said, wondering why Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq, who is also the federal Environment minister and a former member of the Nunavut Impact Review Board, hasn't stepped in to help. "We think of her as someone who would fight on our behalf and take up our cause, but she's not doing it."