The deadline for a final decision on the Bay du Nord project has been extended by another 40 days.

The federal environment minister’s decision on whether or not to give Equinor’s major offshore oil project the environmental green light was originally due March 6th.

The Canadian Impact Assessment Registry announced late Friday afternoon that the decision date is being extended “to provide the Minister with more time to review the considerable amount of complex information, and make an informed decision.”

Premier Andrew Furey says he remains optimistic that the federal government recognizes the value of Bay du Nord.

Furey says the project will play a key role in helping the province meet global demand for responsible oil while supporting government’s 2050 Net Zero commitment.

The Environmental Assessment process for Bay du Nord began in 2018, and the provincial government claims it will be the most carbon efficient development of its scale in Canada, applying industry-leading emissions technologies including flare gas recovery that eliminated the need for continuous flaring.

“This is the project the world needs now” says Furey.

The full statement from Premier Furey and Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, Andrew Parsons, can be found here.

The latest information from the federal government regarding the Bay du Nord project can be viewed here.

Noia ‘Disappointed’ by Delay

Meanwhile, Noia is expressing disappointment with the delay.

The Newfoundland Offshore Industries Association says while it is disappointed, it remains confident in Bay du Nord’s merits and looks forward to its approval as soon as possible.