project monitoring committee

Project Monitoring Committee,

Corrib Gas Project

PMC COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2007

Newsletter for Local Residents

by Community Representatives

February 2007(Updated April 2007)

01In the light of feedback from Mr Peter Cassels in his

2006 report that more should be done to get information

out to the local community regarding the work taking

place on the Project Monitoring Committee this

newsletter is being written by both Gerard Mc Donnell

and Nicholas Whyte, Community Representatives on the

Committee with the aim of passing on as much

information as possible to local people living in the area

of the Corrib Gas Project. It is intended to do such a

newsletter once every quarter from now on. It is being

sent out to all residents in the area to ensure that as

many people as possible receive it.



02Background to the ProjectMonitoring CommitteeThe Project Monitoring Committee was established to makesure that effective monitoring takes place of the Corrib GasProject during construction of the terminal in the interest ofproper planning and sustainable development of the area.The Committee monitors work on the site of the terminal,the haulage route and the Shramore site where peat is to bedeposited. The Committee’s aim is to monitor the project asit is being constructed and deal with issues such as surfacewater run-off, drainage control, traffic management, roadmaintenance, implementation of the landscape plan and otherenvironmental issues.

The Community representatives Gerard Mc Donnell andNicholas Whyte raise issues at the meeting relating to thelocal community. They bring in concerns and worries fromthe local people and give feedback to the developer Shell E&PIreland Limited.

The Committee is chaired by the County Manager of Mayo Co.Council and meets once a month. Its members comprise thefollowing: 3 members from Shell E&P Ireland Ltd., one memberof the North West Regional Fisheries Board, one memberrepresenting Bord na Móna, two members of the staff of MayoCo. Council, two members of the staff of the Department ofCommunications, Marine and Natural Resources, one memberof An Garda Síochana, one member of the National Parks andWildlife Service and two members representing the localcommunity (Gerard Mc Donnell and Nicholas Whyte).


03Issues We Have Raised andDiscussed at Recent MeetingsCold Venting and Emissions: We have requested that thedeveloper (SEPIL) do more to explain cold venting to the localpeople of the community of Erris. We have fed back to Shellthat there are many people in the area who are worried aboutemissions from the terminal when it is up and operating andmore work needs to be done to explain this important issueto all people in the villages surrounding the terminal site. Thedeveloper has undertaken to do so.

Water Treatment on the Terminal Site: The existing singleunit Axonics plant was taken out of commission and has beenbe installed within the new Axionics plant building. The newlyexpanded 5-unit Axonics plant is up and running and all unitsare in operation at 100% capacity on a 24-hour basis. All water,which has been building up and contained in pools on the siteis now being pumped through this Axionics system to becleaned. The so-called south pool is now substantially emptiedand the west pool has been fully emptied. The middle pool hasalso been emptied. Constant testing is taking place of thewater that goes through the Axionics system to make sure it issafe before being released out of site and into the local river.

Water in Carrowmore Lake: Water in the Ballinaboy Riverand Carrowmore Lake is regularly tested by Mayo Co.Council. The Health Service Executive also carries outregular testing of drinking water supplied to the local waterschemes from the Erris Regional Water Treatment Plant atCarrowmore. The results of these tests are available oncomputer at Mayo Co. Council Offices in the Civic Centre,Belmullet once they are scanned. Paper copies are madeavailable as soon as results come in.


04Jobs in the Terminal Construction: We have raised the pointat all recent meetings and in one-to-one discussions with thedeveloper that there are local people who are looking to gainemployment on the project. We have also relayed that this isa key point where many locals have been concerned has beenlacking in the past. Currently there are around 200 peopleworking on the project in Ballinaboy with a substantialnumber of them from Erris.

Social Investment: We have pressed the Developer on theneed to launch a social fund soon in order to address localconcerns raised with us that too little is being done in thisregard in the community. Shell has stated that it is workingon this issue at the moment and will be bringing proposals tothe community shortly.

Peat Haulage - Traffic Management: Peat haulage hasbeen resumed since the beginning of April and we havereminded the developer that adequate information andnotification has to be given to all people in the village ofBallinaboy and all other villages along the haulage route upto and including Shramore as haulage continues. We alsoreminded the developer that the highest standards of lorrydriver safety be adhered to and that each driver be given,once again, the Advanced Training they received whenpreviously transporting peat. This training was completed.This is to ensure that safety towards local residents andother traffic users on the road is a top priority among alllorry drivers.

Peat Haulage - School Wardens: We have stressed the needonce again for school wardens during peat haulage. Thedeveloper has confirmed that school wardens have beenappointed to help transport local school children to schoolevery morning and afternoon during this time.


05Enhanced Community Representation: The Project MonitoringCommittee (on the advice of Peter Cassels last summer) hasdecided to increase the number of community representativeson the committee to three (to join Gerard Mc Donnell andNicholas Whyte). We look forward to another representative onthe committee to share the work in monitoring, giving feedbackto the Committee and making sure that the developer is doing itsjob to the highest standards possible. Mayo County CouncilCommunity and Enterprise Department are helping in theselection process of a new committee member.

Bord na Móna Shramore Deposition Site: Dr. CatherineFarrell, Bord na Móna, joined the January meeting to give apresentation on the Srahmore Peat Rehabilitation Plan andshow how the peat deposited there from Ballinaboy in 2005(approx 100,000 cubic metres) is settling in well on the site.She reported that this is one of the largest such projects inEurope and indicated that Bord na Móna was very satisfied withthe rehabilitation results. Plans are being discussed to makesimilar presentations to local schools and possibly the localcommunity and also to present to the Local Area Meeting inBelmullet of Mayo Co. Council shortly. (This was actually donein January). The North West Regional Fisheries Board stated inthe December PMC meeting that it was satisfied with themonitoring of the peat deposition by Bord na Móna.

Roadworks/Transportation: Rehabilitation works took placeon the haulage road between Ballinaboy and Shramore beforepeat transportation began by Mayo County Council staff.

EPA IPPC Licence to Shell E&P Ireland Limited: At the timeof updating this newsletter an Oral Hearing has begun in theBroadhaven Bay Hotel, Belmullet organized by the EPA on thebasis of the submissions and objections received. Membersof the public are welcome to attend the event each day andwith the permission of the Chairman may make submissionsto the Hearing.


06Contact InformationE-Mail Address: An e-mail address specifically for the PMCwas recently set up. You can raise issues, give feedback andask questions for all PMC members by using this address.Your points will then be raised at the following PMCMeeting. The address is [email protected]. No replieswill be made to your e-mail but you will see your points ofview discussed and included in the minutes of the meeting.

Alternatively you can also contact both Gerard andNicholas by e-mail ([email protected]) or in writing (GerardMc Donnell Glengad, Pullathomas, Ballina and NicholasWhyte, Carrowmore, Barnatra, Ballina).

We hope that this newsletter has given you an overview ofthe issues that have been discussed and dealt with atrecent Project Monitoring Committee Meetings. We wouldask you to please pass around copies to family, friends andneighbours in the area. We plan to issue this newsletteronce every quarter. We would like to acknowledge the helpof the Community and Enterprise Section of Mayo Co.Council for their assistance in sending out this newsletterto local residents.

Gerard Mc Donnell and Nicholas Whyte Community Representatives Project Monitoring Committee


Cas

hin

Pri

nt, C

astle

bar.

094

902

6622

project monitoring committee

Documents