News from down the country

national | environment | news report Monday March 30, 2009 22:54 by Contaminated Crow

A quarry, an incinerator, a gas terminal, a power plant, a waste recycling facility, oil storage, three powerlines, a landfill, a council depot and a clay pigeon shooting grounds.

Local residents objecting to a proposed 46-acre quarry near Ruan, Co. Clare, have claimed ‘underhand tactics’ are being used to support the proposal. 27 submission in favour of the proposed Lagan Bitumen Ltd. quarry have been made to Clare County Council, while 10 objections have been lodged. All of the objections are from people near the site, while those in favour include letters from Ennis and Quin, with a number from around Ruan. Ruan resident Louise Kirwan in her objection notes one of the submissions in favour of the quarry is signed in the name of Patrick O’Donoghue, her grandfather who died 10 years ago. Another local resident, Pamela O’Malley, in her objection notes that a number of the supportive letters have been signed in almost identical handwriting. (Clare People 24/3/09, p.3).

Members of North-East Against Incineration (NEAI) protested last Thursday outside the hall in which College Proteins held a poorly attended public meeting to consult over its plan to resubmit an application for its contentious meal and bone-meal incinerator at Nobber, Co. Meath. The NEAI chairperson, Christy O’Reilly, reported a recent incident where ‘one of our members brought to the attention of the company that a lorry carrying category one material was leaking,…the company’s only response was to report to the Gardai that the person who reported it was trespassing on company property, even though they were parked at the front gate of the factory.’ (Meath Chronicle 28/3/09, p. 14).

Johnny McElligott, a spokesperson for Safety Before LNG (SBL) will address the EU Petitions Committee in the European Parliament on Monday March 31st in support of a petition against the proposed Ballylongford gas terminal. Among SBL complaints are failure to carry out a marine LNG risk assessment and failure to lay out an emergency plan for those living near the plant. (Kerryman (sic) 25/3/09, p.3).

Local residents intend to vigourously oppose plans by Constant Energy Ltd. to develop a 200 megawatt power station at Barrettspark, Cashla near Athenry, Co. Galway. Patrick Creed, chairperson of the Athenry Environmental Network, warned the plant could have devastating consequences for people locally and those living in the wider Athenry area. Locals are aggravated at lack of consultation with objector Daragh Glennon saying ‘A hastily arranged public consultation meeting last week where members of the public were expected to read and understand a 586 page planning application in a week is simply not acceptable’, while Ann Carey, principal of a local national school, said ‘It was an unusual meeting. We were left standing for three hours and felt that we were being treated with contempt. The real issue is health and safety. I am acting on behalf of the 200 pupils I have responsibility for and I would have grave concerns if this power station went ahead. There is an awful lack of information. There is a veil of secrecy surrounding this project. We are afraid for our children.’ (Tuam Herald 26/3/09, p.1; Connacht Tribune 27/3/09, p.8).

An Bord Pleanala has upheld objections by the Kilchreest Concerned Residents and Parents Group and others against a decision by Galway County Council to grant permission to Walsh Waste Ltd. for a waste recycling facility at Eskershanore, Kilchreest, Co. Galway. (Connacht Tribune 27/3/09, p. 18).

Sem Euro Petroleum has withdrawn its proposals for a massive oil storage project at Tarbert/Ballylongford from An Bord Pleanala. While few details of the proposal were publicly available, some 30 large storage tanks for gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil and diesel with an overall capacity of 220 million gallons were envisaged. (Kerryman (sic), 25/3/09, p. 2).

An An Bord Pleanala oral hearing begins next Tuesday into ESB and EirgRid’s proposed 100 kv powerline from west Donegal to Letterkenny, Co. Donegal which has faced strong opposition from local and national groups, one of which, Alternatives To Pylons, says the line will go through unspoilt landscapes, endanger public safety and adversely effect farming and tourism. (Donegal Democrat 26/3/09, p.3a.).

Local farmers claim that a major new electricity sub-station built by the ESB at Sooey, Co. Sligo, will remain a white elephant if the ESB does not agree to place power lines to it underground. While the ESB says the sub-station is expected to be activated this summer, local farmer James Clerkin said ‘People do not want the pylons and are still fighting to get the line underground. We have been calling on the ESB to put it underground and if they don’t do that people are going to oppose it.’ (Sligo Weekender 24/3/09, p. 8).

The EPA has issued Clare County Council with a non-compliance report for its Ballyduffbeg, Inagh landfill as 14 out of 54 odour surveys from January 31 to February 4 detected odour described as ‘moderate and impersistent’: a moderate odour is ‘easily detectable while walking and breathing normally, possibly offensive.’ (Clare Champion 27/3/09, p. 6).

Clare County Council has resubmitted plans for a depot next to Shannon Town Hall which has faced opposition from local residents, An Taisce, Duchas na Sionna and the Save the Shannon Town Hall Woodlands Group. Local resident Don O’Sullivan said he was ‘disgusted’ the application was submitted for the same location despite the objections to the previous application and said ‘There is strong feeling about this in the town.’ (Clare Champion 27/3/09, p. 16; Clare People 24/3/09, p. 10).

North East Pylon Pressure (NEPP), which was formed in November 2007 to campaign against EirGrid’s proposed routing of its InterConnector on pylons through Counties Meath, Cavan and Monaghan has attacked a ‘small but vocal clique of members’ of the Co. Monaghan Anti-Pylon Committee for trying to undermine its efforts. According to NEPP ‘Despite NEPP’s equitable treatment of all three counties’ objectives, requests and concerns and despite each county being fairly represented on the NEPP core team, Monaghan has uniquely decided to maintain its own local anti-pylons county committee. This committee makes decisions and takes actions independent of NEPP, while at the same time it challenges decisions already made by NEPP.’ (Northern Standard 26/3/09, p.6).

Local residents are strongly opposing an application by Liam Hogan for a clay pigeon shooting grounds at Kilduff Upper, Tulla, Co. Clare, in a site designated as a Special Protection Area. (Clare Champion 27/3/09, p. 4).