ESG disappointed with LNG documentation

The ESG committee has now had a first reading of the documents that have been released by GoG on the subject of provision and storage of LNG for our new North Mole power station.

The main area of our concern, a concern which has been shared by much of the community prior to the release of these documents, has been in regard to the safety implications of this new-for-Gibraltar, high-energy, fuel.

After reading the documentation supplied, we are even more concerned. This apprehension is based on the following;

1 The documents do not resemble other safety reports carried out by the same companies for safety assessments in other installations. In fact, Lloyds Register classify their documents as ‘reviews’.
2 Additional documentation that would clarify some assumptions made and would also better identify the risks are not included in these documents and there is reference to other important investigations that still need to be completed by Shell. .
3 In the documents supplied by Government there is no inclusion of terrorism as a risk factor, or adequate assessment of external factors affecting the safety of the operation of the storage plant.
4 Highest risk thresholds can also be questioned, like for example considering that one of the five tanks exploding represents the worst-case-scenario.
5 Also questionable, without documentation of any appropriate research and assessment, is the dismissal of using the detached mole as a suitable and most distant location because “it is not designed nor built for mooring of large vessels.”. It seems to be adequate for the current siting of a much larger fuel tanker operation, and that is without the benefit of structural improvements.
6 There is also the unresolved concern expressed by the MoD, of the inadequacy of the aeronautical study on the effect of power station exhaust plumes on flights from Gibraltar Airport.
7 Clearly, the analysis of the safety aspect is not over and therefore it is presumptuous at this point to classify the overall project as being ‘SAFE’ and also incorrect to assume, with the documentation available, that it is the safest possible LNG installation for Gibraltar

These and other issues will be raised by the ESG via the EIA and at the DPC.
Government as landlord has already awarded a contract to Shell in advance of any presentation given to, and approval gained from, the DPC. This approval would need to satisfy all the planning and EIA requirements.

Clearly there is the pressure of time and the ESG is well aware of our desperate power station requirements but such a project deserves the highest possible transparency, scrutiny and debate and we’re falling short on these.

ESG Radio Newsletter 151015
Key words: Eplanning and Planning system/ Town Act/ ESG Wish List/ March for Climate Change

Hello-

Lots going on locally and globally, regarding our environment.

If you, like us, are interested and concerned about planning issues in Gibraltar then news that the planning system has now gone online should be widely welcomed. Information is always key in these matters and clearly placing detailed info online for ALL to see is a major and positive step forward.

This follows closely on from the revision of the Town Act, itself bringing about a number of key changes in planning practices and so it is expected that further cohesion will be required to ensure that all new measures approved in the revised Town Act will be fully incorporated in the new eplanning service. It will escape no-one’s attention that the digitisation of the planning process will bring about huge benefits for industry, the public and for the environment too. Just think about the savings on paper alone and time saved also in the duplication and manual sharing of plans etc. Objections can be made online, but will also be accepted in hard copy within time limits at the Town Planning offices.

The ESG has called for eplanning for a few years now to meet the glaring issues exposed via the more public planning process. We therefore welcome its arrival and note that all new applications will, as of today, require to be presented online. You can register to access information and see data held onsite by going to egov.gi and clicking on the Planning icon. ESG congratulates all concerned and hopes that resources will be sustained to the planning department to develop and fine tune the online service while it navigates through the early stages of public use.

The ESG is now also fine tuning our wish list, updated in March of this year, is now undergoing scrutiny by the committee before its launch at the beginning of next week. We have campaigned openly and publicly for several core issues affecting our environment since the 2003 elections. Although we have made a lot of progress as a community regarding our environmental management, we are still some way off meeting charter obligations and targets and we shall be lobbying for speedier conclusion of a number of fundamental areas that will form part of our election wish list 2015.

You will find this published on our website at esg-gib.net

Finally, many will be aware of the news of the Paris summit regarding critical climate change agreements coming up at the end of November this year. Globally communities are being invited to support a worldwide climate march during the summit and the ESG is hoping to organise one here. Some may remember our 350 event at Eastern Beach which was broadcast around the world showing Gibraltar up there standing shoulder to shoulder with communities from every corner of the globe calling for the right action from world leaders. Climate Change is a global responsibility. Lets do our part too. Date is the 29th November. Preparations will start soon.

Get in touch if you wish to take part or help in any way. Call: 54960000 or 58009259 – email: esg@gibtelecom.net

ESG concerned about number of dolphin deaths on Spanish beaches

“The ESG is concerned to see a growing number of reports made in various media outlets this week about sightings of dead dolphins and turtle appearing at different parts of the Spanish coastline. (Murcia, Tarifa, La Linea).

The group hopes that the Gibraltar Government is looking at this situation and unusually high mortalities, and liaising with all marine conservationist groups throughout the Bay to establish possible causes. The ESG has not seen or heard about any such sightings on Gibraltar shores but asks the public to be vigilant and report any information that could be of help.”

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ESG Press Release on LNG
1st October 2015

On the 14th of August, the ESG met with the Government to advise them of our concerns regarding the power station and the LNG situation and also regarding the more general community concerns on the non-availability of the promised safety reports. We were assured at that meeting, that our specific recommendations for best available technology (BAT) would be researched and implemented and would be included as a condition on any approval by the DPC. We were also assured that the safety reports were imminent – no more than two weeks away.

It is now 7 weeks since that meeting and the community is no nearer an understanding of the safety implications of LNG as a fuel and they can be forgiven for believing that their concerns are being ignored.

Until we can see that an independent and respected agency has issued a safety report that describes the LNG project as acceptable, the ESG, and the community in general, has to assume that the project is too ambitious and too close to residential areas, to be given the green light.
A smaller operation that catered only for our power station requirements (no bunkering possibilities) and was situated at the detached mole, would probably find it easier to obtain approval with the report-writers and also with the community and certainly with environmentalists.

With an election also imminent, the safety reports need to be aired in full so that this super-critical community project is transparent and the electorate informed.

We need to know.

Please contact Tom Scott at 58009259 for further info

ESG Post Clean up
28th September 2015

This weekend’s clean up was once again a great effort by hundreds of volunteers who took part.

Organisers wish to thank those who gave time and energy and all partners and supporters who in some way made the day effective and a great success. Around twenty trucks of rubbish from different corners of the Rock and, at sea, made their way back to the Transfer Site at Europa Advance Road on what turned out to be a very hot day increasing the challenge for our volunteers considerably! While the volumes of waste have reduced over time, the effort in extracting the litter that is out there by the teams continues to be energetic, determined and a clear display of civic pride and respect for our environment.

Many sites were transformed with teams recovering waste from, at times, sites that had seen a thorough clean only last year. The weekend action places the spotlight on on-going hotspots and neglected areas and organisers will ensure the information gained will be highlighted at every level.

The team spirit and sense of satisfaction evident from participants was clear and awareness was raised on little known corners of Gibraltar which received attention from our hardworking teams. This year saw efforts in new directions including open water clean up, and litter lifted from the Europa Foreshore, which is now a Reserve.

The Clean Up works because it engages members from all sectors of our community – from the younger generations via schools, youth clubs and associations, as well as the wider public via businesses, Govt agencies and NGOs.

Each time the messages are getting out: too much litter in our small town; people need to take much better care with their rubbish; much of our lightweight waste becomes fly borne entering marine ecosystems causing havoc with marine life; facilities need to be improved; dumpers need to be fined; ultimately that we all have to take some responsibility.

It is “Our Place, Our Planet and Our Responsibility” after all.

A detailed report with images from teams covering the widespread action is now being compiled and will be published shortly.

CLEAN UP THE WORLD 2015

In today’s broadcast we would like to update you with more details for this year’s Clean up taking place on the 26th September.
Although the global date of the 19th falls on this coming Saturday, organisers felt it necessary to delay this in Gibraltar and so our day of action will be the 26th.

We are very happy to confirm that we have over twenty teams ready to go, and as many sites to be tackled.

Naturally the Clean up Campaign aims to achieve real longterm change and as such the ESG, as main organisers of this event locally, also takes up all these issues throughout the year using media, talks and input at the Litter Committee forum to push these forward. Issues such as littering, dumping, waste management and facilities, civic pride, are on the agenda. Others under the spotlight are specific hotspots, issues of enforcement and culture change, and better information and community engagement on these matters via a sustained litter campaign.

The ESG will hold a key Team Leaders meeting on Tuesday 22nd September at 7pm, at the Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall. All leaders are asked to attend.
A short presentation on “where we are now”, as well as future aims and plans will be delivered together with a briefing on logistics for the day of action itself on the 26th September.

Gibraltar is proud to once again be taking part in a phenomenal global environmental campaign of action and awareness raising under the Clean Up the World banner. This campaign has and will continue to deliver green dividends for us here on the Rock as well as taking responsibility for marine litter issues and driving the agenda forward for improved waste management at a very practical level. Much depends on individual action on a day to day basis also and our clean up attempts aims to improve how and what we each do with our rubbish whenever we raise the Clean up banner.

Thanks for listening!!

In today’s edition we shall talk about: Clean up the World/ Power Stations, EIAs and LNG/ a reminder to get your response in on the revised Town Act Participation Drive by the end of this month/ National Day and Balloons/ and the latest Marine Consultation exercise by GoG tackling issues affecting the health of our seas and more.

This years global CUTW lands on the 18th to the 20th September. However in Gibraltar the day of action will be on the 26th September – please make a note in your diary. Please note that on the 8th September we shall be holding a short meeting specifically for team leaders for a briefing on the activity and action planned for the 19th. Venue is the John Mackintosh Hall at 7pm.

While a number of our large hotspots are being tackled and will therefore not form part of our clean up, there are always filthy corners around the Rock that can benefit from our awareness raising campaign –not to mention the benefits gained in general from an energetic once over by our volunteers.

Talking about volunteers, we do have a number of teams signed up already and are currently taking details of new volunteers. Do, therefore, please get in touch asap, with your contact details, team size, rough idea of ages and fitness so we can include you in our planning. This campaign has achieved great results on many fronts since we first started organising the event in 2005. There is still much to be done and we shall use the Clean up weekend to highlight issues, press for the right solutions and engage the community.

You can email: esg@gibtelecom.net with your details. Call 54960000 or 58009259.

There is much discussion at present on LNG, EIA’s and Power Station– the ESG felt pleased at the end of the last DPC session on this issue as GoG, as applicant for the EIA certificate, publicly pledged to meet specific requests made by the ESG for best technology, and to go over and above the legal minimum requirements. In fact the EIA certificate was conditioned subject to it meeting a number of requests made by our group and the petitioners.

However, and the big but here is that we, along with many in the community, are unhappy about the LNG factor, about the lack of reports, the absence of a technical and public presentation on this technology and unhappy about siting the storage at the North Mole. This issue is far from over – we continue to monitor the situation and maintain contacts with both Govt and residents at Waterport Terraces.

Re Planning Matters in Gibraltar – remember the deadline for public feedback to the consultation drive by GoG on the revised Town Act is at the end of September.

With National Day coming up we need to mention the balloon issue again. For some years now the ESG has raised concerns about the expulsion of plastic or latex balloons by the thousands into our marine environment each year. Through our Clean up efforts and research we know only too well the impacts that waste in general has on wildlife and have lobbied GoG to find safer alternatives. We shall join ranks with others in the community to ensure that such alternatives will be in place for 2016. Its not about curtailing celebrations, but about avoiding the harming of wildlife and creating litter in our environment.

Interesting to see a GoG led marine consultation exercise running at present on issues affecting the health of our seas. The ESG will submit a lengthy report with data gathered from a decade of coastal clean ups. We shall share the knowledge we have gained through the efforts of volunteers clearing Gibraltar’s coastline and underwater sites of hundreds of tons of rubbish during our Clean up the World actions.

Thanks for listening. Enjoy your National Day and remember to recycle your rubbish and use the bins!!

ESG’s Tom Scott on local Television and Radio giving interviews on the groups position on the EIA for the New Power Station

Radio Gibraltar Link http://www.gbc.gi/radio/programmes/lunchtime-james-neish-26 starts 10.29 mins

ESG will be meeting with GoG technical team next week to review issues and work to arrive at the best possible outcome.

ESG Press Release
National Day Balloons
14th August 2015

The ESG adds its voice to the GONHS on National Day balloons and also calls upon Government and National Day organisers to find an alternative to the release of thousands of pieces of litter as a major and symbolic part of the day’s celebrations. With its CUTW hat on the group urges Gibraltar to stop a practice, which is contributing to an already serious threat facing wildlife, particularly in the world’s oceans, from litter and pollution.

Each year the group has met with Government and raised the matter discussing alternatives, which could and should replace this unnecessarily harmful practice. Gibraltar’s “island” nature means the majority of our released balloons quickly find their way to open water and out of sight with the on-going impact on the environment continuing long after they have gone.

National Day is a very important day in Gibraltar’s calendar and should not be marred by this simply because it is what has happened since celebrations began. The ESG agrees with the GONHS statement that growing awareness and evidence-based knowledge of the actual impact on wildlife from such balloon releases should persuade many in the community that a non-environmentally harmful alternative should be in place and found quickly.

The ESG urges the public to support a change in this practice.

See: http://balloonsblow.org
www.rspca.org.uk Don’t Let Go Campaign

The ESG has been looking through the sizeable document for the EIA on the new Power Station. It is still studying aspects of it that are not entirely clear. Having said that, the ESG can highlight some basic principles and reactions, which shall be followed up in a detailed paper submitted to the Town Planning Offices for DPC consideration. The GoG’s stated intention is to build a hybrid plant using LNG and diesel. However the EIA does not include LNG safety reports or impacts from wider diesel use, which in the groups view renders the assessment deficient if not invalid.

• The ESG questions why the EIA is only considering impacts from the combustion of diesel for a maximum of 35 days for “abnormal operation”, due to this being an LNG fired plant; this is built on the assumption that LNG has been given the green light in which case the safety reports supporting this decision must exist- and must be shared with the public; we also believe that impacts from the possible combustion of diesel at this plant for 365 days of the year should be factored in the EIA to cover all scenarios;
• The safety issues of LNG driving this entire project forward must therefore be considered by DPC members who will then be voting on passing this EIA paper for certification;
• Specifically the ESG has called for highest standards and best available technology to be utilised in this power station but the ESG does not consider the plans demonstrate this has been done adequately to date;
• Specifically electrostatic precipitators ought to be used to eliminate up to 99% of particulates/and stack monitoring to track all pollutants and manage levels accordingly;
• Stack heights have been compromised by the proximity to the airport and therefore additional measures to eliminate all potential emissions must be installed;
• The ESG has been concerned to see that GoG’s plan has been to build the power station even closer to the Waterport Terraces Residential area since the first announcement by GoG of siting this at the North Mole;
• The ESG finds unacceptable that the main LNG Storage and Regasification Process has been also added to this site without documentation being submitted to the public or the DPC members, nor has this major cumulative factor being included in this present EIA, despite all other potential factors being rigorously included;

Government has stated all along that it has been taking its time to ensure that the next generation power station will be the most environmental and least impacting of all its predecessors and that planned by the GSD administration. The ESG is not convinced that the plans and EIA measure up to this pledge and will be submitting a detailed response to the DPC stating precisely in what areas it is in disagreement. It will be highlighting the essential measures the group will insist should be conditional to the EIA receiving approval for the power station aspect of this operation so far.

Regarding the LNG Storage and regasification process, the group cannot accept that at the present site it has now become safer and furthest from residential areas. However, if the CM who made this statement in Parliament, has the documentation to support his claims let Government please share these documents, at least to the DPC, who are currently evaluating the EIA for the new power station and would consider these directly relevant to the safety evaluation of the EIA report.