A number of Welsh petitioners including Plaid Cymru MEP, Jill Evans, have persuaded the European Parliament's Petitions Committee that further investigation is needed into the controversial LNG terminal and pipeline in South Wales.
The Petitions Committee have asked the European Commission to look into potential breaches of seven European directives.
Speaking after the decision Jill Evans said:
"I wholeheartedly supported the petitioners at today's hearing in Brussels. They presented compelling evidence, and there was wide cross party support for pursuing this matter with the European Commission."
"The Commission will now carry out an investigation into possible breaches of EU directives."
"This is a massive project which has generated a huge amount of public anxiety. Today's hearing highlighted the serious lack of consultation with local residents, amongst other failings. The European Commission will report back on its investigations early in the new year when the petitioners will be invited back to Brussels."
The Welsh petitioners successfully argued that the 150 mile long pipeline, which stretches from Milford Haven to Gloucestershire across South Wales, in parts runs dangerously close to houses and schools. The petitioners contended the pipeline is ill thought out, dangerous, and breaches several European directives - on this basis they were calling for the European Commission to intervene.
The situation in Wales to a certain extent mirrors the gas pipeline controversy in Ireland (North Mayo). However the Welsh campaigners seem to have had focused political support for their concerns.
The seven breaches of EU Directives cited in the petition were:
- Directive 85/337 on environmental impact assessment, as amended by Directive 97/11 (in respect to slicing up of the assessment, as well, as regards serious flaws in factual basis) - Directive 2003/04 on public access to information about the environment (see above, including blasting activities) - Directive 2003735 on public participation in the drawing up of plans and programmes relating to the environment (cf. the valuable information on geological & ground conditions that local knowledge could have contributed), - Directive 92/43 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora (only mitigation measures are foreseen, not a choice of alternative routing, which could avoid damage to protected sites)
- Directive 96/61 on prevention of major industrial accidents (in respect to storage, etc., facilities in harbour), - Directive 2003/55 on the internal market in gas (the provisions concerning safety), - Directive 2004/35 on the protection of soil (as regards routing the pipeline through areas of contaminated soil).
See related articles about the Welsh gas pipeline Celtic News at:
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See also report at Plaid Cymru website at:
See related articles about the Irish (Mayo) gas pipeline Celtic News at:
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J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
23/12/07
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