Enda Craig keeps readers up to date on what is happening in the weird world of Irish Water.

ABP Decision: It is considered that the potential for significant adverse effects on the environment arising from the proposed Moville Sewerage Scheme cannot be ruled out and accordingly, that the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report is required.

This is welcome news and vindication for the Moville Environmental Group, Community For A Clean Estuary, who fought tooth and nail for this past thirty years stating that the legislation being applied by Donegal County Council and Irish Water was defective.

Our warning, repeated many times, was ignored by Donegal County Council, by Irish Water, by the EPA and also by the High Court of Ireland.

Finally, our statement re the defective legislation was accepted in 2016 by the European Commission in Brussels when they stated:

I would like to clarify that Article 2(1) applies to cases in which the relevant authorities have concluded that there is a significant impact on the environment, following a screening process. I would like to reiterate that in our view the EIA Directive applies in a case such as Moville and that an EIA screening process was required and will be required before any future decision could be taken under new legislation. If a future screening process determines that there would be significant impact on the environment, then indeed paragraph 76 of the judgment would be relevant. 

Had we not campaigned against the initial proposal then the beautiful beaches and bathing waters between Moville and Greencastle would have been decimated in the same way that happened to Ladies Bay in Buncrana where the people there allowed a similar type plant and discharge to be built and operated in 1990. It is now under proposal for a major upgrade having caused substantial environmental degradation from its inception.

Of the utmost importance is one of the conditions laid down in the ABP ruling which states:

( vii ) having regard to the ecological sensitivity of the receiving environment, including the commercial shellfish resources, bathing waters and biodiversity.

This requirement will give local fishermen on Lough Foyle the opportunity to make submissions regarding concerns they may have in relation to fish stocks, shellfish etc.

The Reality Of So-Called Treated Sewage Effluent

Something else that is not generally understood...

the level of 'treatment ' at the plant will be dependent on the dilution and assimilation properties in the receiving waters found at the discharge point of the pipe.

People tend to think that All the treatment takes place at the plant which is completely wrong as in this case.

Most of the treatment will be based on the notion of  'marine treatment' and we all know what that means.

It is the reason there is an exclusion zone in the vicinity of the discharge to allow the ' treated ' effluent to reduce in content and intensity. 

The fishermen have every right to be concerned.

Already a local fisherman has outlined the potential harm that the proposed sewage discharge could cause to the ecosystem and fish stocks etc in the vicinity of the proposed discharge point at Carnagarve.

 This map highlights the important eco system and marine life that
is currently on site at the point where they intend to discharge the sewage effluent 

Also of great interest will be the pollution map which was generated by the consultants in relation to the anticipated dispersal of raw untreated sewage along the coastline between Redcastle and Kinnago Bay in the event of an emergency breakdown or unforeseen discharge into Lough Foyle.

This, their own map which was hidden from the public but quite clearly shows the dispersal of raw sewage hugging the coastline. This omission was not explained satisfactorily to CFCE and that, as it stands, is a disgraceful example of withholding important and relevant information. Why would you go to the expense and trouble of compiling a complicated dispersal map if, as they state, there would never be any occasion for its use or its findings.

 
This, their own map, which shows raw sewage hugging the coast from Redcastle to Kinnego Bay polluting the water and beaches as it goes. It is their map not ours. It is important to understand that this map was hidden from the local community and only came to light when it was discovered by Oceanographer Mr Mike Quinnell from Singapore while carrying out research for our group. 

Discovery of this map and the fact that it was hidden caused a serious breach of trust in relation to what now, if anything, we can believe. This breakdown of trust continues to the present day since more and more concerns are coming to light and we are not getting satisfactory answers.

This will not be allowed to happen this time.

All potential adverse effects on the effluent receiving waters will have to be outlined in truthful detail to allow the local community to see and weigh the consequences of the proposal.

Numerous highly regarded experts have stated that this plant and pipe should not, under any circumstances, be located inside the environs of the Foyle estuary.

Karin Dubsky, BA, MSc Coastal Ecologist (Lecturer in Trinity College Dublin): 

The discharge for the planned treatment plant should be relocated to ensure it is also suitable from a biodiversity point of view.

Dr. Mike Quinnell, Oceanographer, Singapore:

The current model was not tuned to match local conditions, and the effluent dispersion model used the un-tuned current model. It is my opinion that all results of the effluent dispersion model are invalid.

Also the following have come out against the plant location and the discharge into Lough Foyle: Professor Ronnie Russell, Microbiologist TCD, EU Commission, Peter Sweetman Expert on EU Env Leg, Members of Donegal Co Cl., Various TD's, MEP's. Local Doctors etc.

Precautionary Principle: "Measures which prevent environmental damage from the start are preferred over measures to restore an already damaged environment."

This will be a long term project and it must be properly planned and engineered from the outset.

That means especially having due regard to the proper European laws and regulations.

That is something that Irish Water did not adhere to on the previous occasion. 

Coming to Moville with glossy pamphlets, spin and propaganda will not suffice.

The open sea is readily accessible north of Greencastle.

The difference between listening and not listening to public opinion.

 
 
The decision by local Co Derry Councils, Limavady and Causeway Coast, to take on board the good advice from the Loughs Agency and NIEA (Northern Ireland Environmental Authority) is complete opposite to Irish Water’s claim of listening to public opinion. There it was decided to change the plan and discharge into the open sea beyond Magilligan Point thereby safeguarding the shellfish and beaches in the environs of Lough Foyle. This entailed the trenching of the discharge pipe across country a distance of 3.5 kilometers and an outfall pipe a distance of 280 metres into the open sea.

In contrast, Irish Water is not taking on board CFCE’s advice but instead insist on trenching their proposed discharge pipe through a sea-grass bed. This bed was identified by Karin Dubsky as both precious and rare. The pipe will also disrupt a local native oyster bed. Irish Water are also proposing to shorten the length of the outfall pipe by 100 meters, from 300m to 200m.

It seems, Irish Water will listen to no one as they plough on with a quick fix to try and avert the Irish Government's day of reckoning in the European Court of Justice where it could face being levied with massive daily fines for neglecting their responsibilities.

With proper plant design and suitable treatment the discharge can be accommodated by a long sea-outfall with a guarantee of minimal potential environmental damage to the receiving waters, bathing beaches and shoreline walks.

➽ Enda Craig is spokesperson for Lough Foyle group, Community For A Clean Estuary.

An Bord Pleanala Lays Down The Law To Irish Water

Enda Craig keeps readers up to date on what is happening in the weird world of Irish Water.

ABP Decision: It is considered that the potential for significant adverse effects on the environment arising from the proposed Moville Sewerage Scheme cannot be ruled out and accordingly, that the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report is required.

This is welcome news and vindication for the Moville Environmental Group, Community For A Clean Estuary, who fought tooth and nail for this past thirty years stating that the legislation being applied by Donegal County Council and Irish Water was defective.

Our warning, repeated many times, was ignored by Donegal County Council, by Irish Water, by the EPA and also by the High Court of Ireland.

Finally, our statement re the defective legislation was accepted in 2016 by the European Commission in Brussels when they stated:

I would like to clarify that Article 2(1) applies to cases in which the relevant authorities have concluded that there is a significant impact on the environment, following a screening process. I would like to reiterate that in our view the EIA Directive applies in a case such as Moville and that an EIA screening process was required and will be required before any future decision could be taken under new legislation. If a future screening process determines that there would be significant impact on the environment, then indeed paragraph 76 of the judgment would be relevant. 

Had we not campaigned against the initial proposal then the beautiful beaches and bathing waters between Moville and Greencastle would have been decimated in the same way that happened to Ladies Bay in Buncrana where the people there allowed a similar type plant and discharge to be built and operated in 1990. It is now under proposal for a major upgrade having caused substantial environmental degradation from its inception.

Of the utmost importance is one of the conditions laid down in the ABP ruling which states:

( vii ) having regard to the ecological sensitivity of the receiving environment, including the commercial shellfish resources, bathing waters and biodiversity.

This requirement will give local fishermen on Lough Foyle the opportunity to make submissions regarding concerns they may have in relation to fish stocks, shellfish etc.

The Reality Of So-Called Treated Sewage Effluent

Something else that is not generally understood...

the level of 'treatment ' at the plant will be dependent on the dilution and assimilation properties in the receiving waters found at the discharge point of the pipe.

People tend to think that All the treatment takes place at the plant which is completely wrong as in this case.

Most of the treatment will be based on the notion of  'marine treatment' and we all know what that means.

It is the reason there is an exclusion zone in the vicinity of the discharge to allow the ' treated ' effluent to reduce in content and intensity. 

The fishermen have every right to be concerned.

Already a local fisherman has outlined the potential harm that the proposed sewage discharge could cause to the ecosystem and fish stocks etc in the vicinity of the proposed discharge point at Carnagarve.

 This map highlights the important eco system and marine life that
is currently on site at the point where they intend to discharge the sewage effluent 

Also of great interest will be the pollution map which was generated by the consultants in relation to the anticipated dispersal of raw untreated sewage along the coastline between Redcastle and Kinnago Bay in the event of an emergency breakdown or unforeseen discharge into Lough Foyle.

This, their own map which was hidden from the public but quite clearly shows the dispersal of raw sewage hugging the coastline. This omission was not explained satisfactorily to CFCE and that, as it stands, is a disgraceful example of withholding important and relevant information. Why would you go to the expense and trouble of compiling a complicated dispersal map if, as they state, there would never be any occasion for its use or its findings.

 
This, their own map, which shows raw sewage hugging the coast from Redcastle to Kinnego Bay polluting the water and beaches as it goes. It is their map not ours. It is important to understand that this map was hidden from the local community and only came to light when it was discovered by Oceanographer Mr Mike Quinnell from Singapore while carrying out research for our group. 

Discovery of this map and the fact that it was hidden caused a serious breach of trust in relation to what now, if anything, we can believe. This breakdown of trust continues to the present day since more and more concerns are coming to light and we are not getting satisfactory answers.

This will not be allowed to happen this time.

All potential adverse effects on the effluent receiving waters will have to be outlined in truthful detail to allow the local community to see and weigh the consequences of the proposal.

Numerous highly regarded experts have stated that this plant and pipe should not, under any circumstances, be located inside the environs of the Foyle estuary.

Karin Dubsky, BA, MSc Coastal Ecologist (Lecturer in Trinity College Dublin): 

The discharge for the planned treatment plant should be relocated to ensure it is also suitable from a biodiversity point of view.

Dr. Mike Quinnell, Oceanographer, Singapore:

The current model was not tuned to match local conditions, and the effluent dispersion model used the un-tuned current model. It is my opinion that all results of the effluent dispersion model are invalid.

Also the following have come out against the plant location and the discharge into Lough Foyle: Professor Ronnie Russell, Microbiologist TCD, EU Commission, Peter Sweetman Expert on EU Env Leg, Members of Donegal Co Cl., Various TD's, MEP's. Local Doctors etc.

Precautionary Principle: "Measures which prevent environmental damage from the start are preferred over measures to restore an already damaged environment."

This will be a long term project and it must be properly planned and engineered from the outset.

That means especially having due regard to the proper European laws and regulations.

That is something that Irish Water did not adhere to on the previous occasion. 

Coming to Moville with glossy pamphlets, spin and propaganda will not suffice.

The open sea is readily accessible north of Greencastle.

The difference between listening and not listening to public opinion.

 
 
The decision by local Co Derry Councils, Limavady and Causeway Coast, to take on board the good advice from the Loughs Agency and NIEA (Northern Ireland Environmental Authority) is complete opposite to Irish Water’s claim of listening to public opinion. There it was decided to change the plan and discharge into the open sea beyond Magilligan Point thereby safeguarding the shellfish and beaches in the environs of Lough Foyle. This entailed the trenching of the discharge pipe across country a distance of 3.5 kilometers and an outfall pipe a distance of 280 metres into the open sea.

In contrast, Irish Water is not taking on board CFCE’s advice but instead insist on trenching their proposed discharge pipe through a sea-grass bed. This bed was identified by Karin Dubsky as both precious and rare. The pipe will also disrupt a local native oyster bed. Irish Water are also proposing to shorten the length of the outfall pipe by 100 meters, from 300m to 200m.

It seems, Irish Water will listen to no one as they plough on with a quick fix to try and avert the Irish Government's day of reckoning in the European Court of Justice where it could face being levied with massive daily fines for neglecting their responsibilities.

With proper plant design and suitable treatment the discharge can be accommodated by a long sea-outfall with a guarantee of minimal potential environmental damage to the receiving waters, bathing beaches and shoreline walks.

➽ Enda Craig is spokesperson for Lough Foyle group, Community For A Clean Estuary.

8 comments:

  1. But for your perseverance Enda, few of us would know any of this is going on

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for helping to get the word out Anthony...

      Delete
    2. Enda - you will always have a slot here.

      Delete
  2. I commend your efforts on pushing this. What I still don't understand though is what is happening to the wastewater at present. Is is being treated and to what level? Where is it being discharged? And why has this saga lasted 30 years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Take a look at this short video and come back to me ..........http://buncranatogether.com/home/2019/6/30/moville-community-for-clean-estuary-responds-to-irish-waters-plan

      Delete
    2. I don't see the video. Is it on a different page?

      Delete
  3. Check out www.savethefoyle.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Apologies Joe, i meant to say www.buncranatogether.com

    ReplyDelete