Dublin, Monday, 8 April 2002
The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources has today released the report of the Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC) on the environmental aspects of the proposed development of the Corrib Gas Field. In doing so the Minister was honouring a commitment he gave to local people in Co. Mayo that he, in the interest of transparency, would publish the report before announcing his deAcisions on the various applications for permits and consents for the development. The Minister expects to announce his decisions shortly.
A copy of the MLVC’s report is available on the Department’s website, www.marine.gov.ie <http://www.marine.gov.ie> in the What’s New section.
ENDS.
Please find Executive Summary of the Report attached.
Executive Summary
The MLVC has considered the environmental implications of the proposed Corrib Gas Field Development in the light of the applications for statutory permissions to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources.
The applications for
- Foreshore Licence
- Approval of the Plan of Development
- Pipeline Consent
entailed publication, for public consultation, of a two part EIS covering both the marine and landbased elements of the project.
The MLVC considered this two part EIS, the submissions received on foot of its publication, the responses by the intending developer to the submissions, the developer’s responses to a number of queries raised by the Committee and reports by both the Department’s consultants (ERM) and the MLVC’s own consultants (Posford Haskoning) on the EIS
On the basis of its consideration of all the above the MLVC recommends that the project be given the relevant statutory permissions subject to a number of conditions which should be rigorously enforced. The principal proposed conditions are:
1. The outfall point of the discharge pipeline shall be located outside the cSAC, not closer than 12 kilometres from the landfall site.
2. The effluent shall be treated to at least EQS as specified in the EIS using best available technology (BAT) subject to IPC licensing by the EPA.
3. The methodology of pipelaying within Broadhaven Bay and at the landfall and between the landfall and the Terminal shall be agreed with the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources before commencement of construction. The methodology shall be developed in full consultation with Dúchas to ensure that it meets their requirements for the protection of habitats and species as well as conservation and preservation of archaeological artifacts.
4. An Environmental Management Plan shall be drawn up for the approval of the Minister (subject to such modifications, if any, as he may deem appropriate).
5. The Environmental Management Plan shall, in respect of each discrete element of construction, be in place prior to work commencing.
6. The Minister shall, in consultation with Mayo County Council, cause an Environmental Monitoring Group to be set up which will be charged with monitoring the development during all stages of construction and subsequent operation.