YELLOWKNIFE (December 22, 2014) - Minister David Ramsay, Government of the Northwest Territories Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations, and Willard Hagen, Chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on December 19.

 The MOU signals the intent of both regulators to work together to carry out their respective responsibilities while providing for a comprehensive and timely review of applications under each regulator’s jurisdiction. The MOU lays the foundation for cooperation in areas such as preliminary screening, mapping and geographic information systems, inspections and site visits, and training and capacity building.

 “The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board is an important partner in the regulation of oil and gas activities in the NWT onshore. This cooperative arrangement is an important step to ensure responsible  stewardship of resources,” said Minister Ramsay.

 “This MOU represents the ongoing commitment of the Board to work with our resource management partners to ensure the regulatory regime is integrated, coordinated and efficient,” said Willard Hagen.

 The MOU is available on the Office of the Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations (OROGO) website www.oilandgasregulator.iti.gov.nt.ca and the MVLWB website at www.mvlwb.com.

Media inquiries:

Leslie Campbell
Senior Communications Officer
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel: (867) 920-3343
Email: Leslie_Campbell@gov.nt.ca 

Zabey Nevitt
Executive Director
Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board
Tel: (867) 766-7457
Email: zabey@mvlwb.com