ESG Radio Newsletter 7th January 2015

Hi- the first of our 2016 broadcasts and we look ahead to the New Year with concerns for our environment, but also with optimism that the answers lie in finding and applying solutions. Together.

Some useful information for you: next DPC meeting will be on the 27th January at 9.30am Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall. This meeting will look at revised plans for Rosia Bay as well as the skyscraper Eurocity application among several others. While the full agenda details will emerge a week before the mtg, you can see possible inclusions by getting on the eplanning site via egov.gi – and setting yourself up with a name and password to log on and view all validated applications.

You can then select key dates for information on deadlines for objections, etc. It’s clear that many projects cause concerns in the community and its important that the Town Planners and the DPC hear these. This is the point of eplanning to be more inclusive and improve on information sharing – both ways. In the past it was extremely difficult to get information on any application as one had to physically go to Town Planning and spend hours poring through huge files and plans. This has now been replaced by online access to information. This is a huge step forward and we urge everyone to make use of this to help Gibraltar develop more collegiately. This has been a long-term ESG aim.

While more the remit of pure conservation and fishing lobbies, the ESG has also been approached by its members regarding the blatant raking and fishing off Waterport Terraces by Spanish fishing boats during the festive period. We shall be meeting with Government shortly to discuss their approach on this and share our members concerns.

Some movement on cross border pollution – we are pleased to confirm that questions sent by the ESG to MEPs Ashley Fox and Molly Scott Cato, with support from Sir Graham Watsons team and David Dumas QC of Hassan’s, have been tabled and published on the European Parliament website. We now await the Commissions response. The questions concern requesting an update on its monitoring of the Refinery and associated industry on compliance given the on-going excessive and poorly managed emissions, and, the need for an urgent timetable of investment by Spain to rectify Western Beach sewage contamination by la Linea municipality. More news on this once we have had the Commissions response.

Good news and on the actions by the Commission in response to Spanish environmental groups and citizen protest, is the stopping of plans for development of the Valdevaqueros zone in Tarifa, a protected area in its own right. This is great news at the start of the year. Lets hope the Commission can use its muscle on pollution issues in the Bay too.

On the LNG front of course 2015 saw several meetings and detailed discussions that we held with various project leaders. Our latest submission was yesterday for the Scoping Report, a precursor to the full EIA for the LNG storage plant. The ESG worked on this over Xmas and relayed points we believe need to be included under the EIA process.

The ESG thanks its members and the public in general for its support and interest in our efforts during 2015. Looking forward we shall continue working for our aims and objectives for a healthier Gibraltar and Bay area. You can find more details on our esg-gib.net website where you can also join up as well as read about our work over the years. Next newsletter will look at Gibraltar’s current status on energy use and its renewable energy plans.

Thanks for listening and wishing all a healthy and ever greener 2016!