The Shell approach to the planning process

mayo | environment | other press

Tuesday August 19, 2008 13:14

by Mayo News Reader

information on habitats left off maps shown to specialist advisors

According to Sunday's Daily Mail, Shell misled the experts who were tasked with assessing the company's planning application for the proposed onshore pipeline route.

Julie Fossitt, Senior Ecologist with the National Parks and Wildlife Services and author of the standard reference work "A Guide to Habitats in Ireland" asserted in a memo released under Freedom of Information legislation, that '‘key information was withheld from specialists whose opinions were included in the planning documents" and that ‘the project ecologists did not have access to key sections of the proposed pipeline route’.

The "Special Area of Conservation" at Glengad beach

According to Ms.Fossitt, the company simply excluded from maps those protected habitats likely to be affected by the development . It was only when she visited the area that she realised the deception which had been carried out.

Today's Mayo News reports that the Dept of Environment has criticised Shell's approach to the planning process. An official was quoted saying: “It is the view of this Department that the Environmental Impact Statement submitted was deficient and the information provided was inadequate in a number of respects.

The Department of Environment say they have no control over the current work going at Glengad Beach even though it is a Special Area of Conservation. Consents for this work were received from Minister for Natural Resources Eamon Ryan, and Tánaiste Mary Coughlan when she was Minister for Agriculture.

Spokespeople for Shell are declining to comment on the issues relating to the planning process. Asked what the company's response would be to interference with the arrival of the giant pipe laying ship The Solitaire, Shell also refused to comment.

Yesterday activists from the Rossport Solidarity Camp erected a marquee on private land at Glengad and briefly occupied the Shell compound on the beach.

Read the full Mayo News article here:

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&tas...id=38

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Comments (1 of 1)

"Shell says no to Kevin Moore"

by JM

Wed Sep 24, 2008 16:33

The Mayo News - Wednesday, 24 September 2008

DeFacto
Liamy MacNally

"SHELL does not want Mr Kevin Moore, an inspector with An Bord Pleanála, to be in charge of its current application for amendments to the refinery planning permission currently before the planning appeals board. Mr Moore was the chair of the oral hearing for the original Corrib refinery planning application and published a damning report about the proposed location of the refinery at Bellanaboy. Planning permission was refused. Shell re-applied and was granted permission later. Now Shell has formally requested, through its agents, Tom Phillips & Associates, ‘that Senior Planning Inspector, Mr Kevin Moore, is not assigned as the planning inspector in relation to this appeal’.

"When questioned about this, a senior Shell employee was quick to refute the claim. When it was pointed out that the company had actually made such a request the employee said he would find out more information. Why is it becoming a feature of some senior Shell personnel to rush into answers that are incorrect instead of simply stating they do not know the answer and will attempt to find out? This has happened on more than one occasion in interviews with journalists."

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The Shell approach to the planning process

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