Decision : 37 COM 7B.18
Gros-Morne National Park (Canada) (N 419)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-13/37.COM/7B.Add,
2. Notes with serious concern the plans to drill and hydraulically fracture (frack) three onshore-to-offshore test wells in the immediate vicinity of the property which could impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and in particular the integrity of the property as a result of pollution, industrial infrastructure and shocks to geological formations;
3. Urges the State Party to complete the Environmental Impact Assessment process to review the potential impacts on the OUV of the property and to submit a copy of the EIA to the World Heritage Centre, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines , prior to making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
4. Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN reactive monitoring mission to the property to assess these risks;
5. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2014 , an updated report on the state of conservation of the property, including the conclusions of the environmental assessment process, for consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 38th Session in 2014.
Decisions Report2013 Gros Morne National Park
