No to incineration in Wales

United lobby of AMs and demonstration at the Senedd
     Cardiff Bay:  Tuesday, November 15  12:00pm - 3:00pm

The Merthyr campaign's victory should hearten us all. In Cardiff and Newport, where incinerators are still planned, we need to send a clear message that toxic waste-burning is not acceptable anywhere in Wales -- not near our homes, not near our neighbors, not in our air!  In Barry Dock, where the Council gave outline planning permission for 80 00 tonnes pa waste burning, tell them no!

The story of the Welsh government collusion over Covanta's incinerator proposed near Merthyr - and just abandoned - is given by South Wales WIN using documents obtained under Freedom of Information.

HOT NEWS! Covanta quits mega-Incinerator at Methyr

BBC- Covanta pulls out of Merthyr Tydfil £400m waste plan

Great news!  Covanta have recognised the writing on the wall for high-cost mass-burn mega-incinerators that waste most or all of the heat.

It’s also a blow to the Welsh government’s pro-incineration policy, for they invited Covanta to Wales.  Ieuan Wyn Jones (as Deputy First Minister) visited Covanta in the USA and his officials set up contacts for Covanta and helped with plans for rail transhipment of waste from all over Wales (revealed by FoI disclosures) .

For Prosiect Gwyrdd, who chose four incinerator projects for S-E Wales municipal waste, Covanta’s retreat means two down, two to go.  Let’s see Newport turn down Veolia’s plan for Newport/Llanwern – this would leave PG’s plan to shortlist two incinerators in ruins.

Fracking application REJECTED at Planning Meeting THURS 20th

Resounding victory!
The  Planning Committee unanimously rejected the Llandow application for test-boreholes for #fracking, mainly on the basis of Dwr Cymru arguments on  possible contamination of the groundwater.

BBC Wales broadcasted demonstrations outside the Civic offices live at 18:45 tonight.  The result was later broadcast at 22:30 by Cllr Nic Hodges (Plaid).

Congratulations to theValesaysNo campaign and all who joined in!

This unanimous rejection of the Planning Officer's recommendation should not only stop past practice of facilitating resubmission of a similar application, but also cause Rob Thomas to reflect on his rejection by the ruling Tory group and consider resigning.

No trust for Regulation of Fracking

At the VoG Scrutiny committee on Monday 17th Oct., one contributor declared:

The UK has no regulatory policy as fracking for gas is completely different from coal mining and conventional oil/gas wells.

The regulator (John Harrison, Environment Agency) was asked about the European groundwater directive, which forbids discharges of some chemicals to groundwater and is strongly restrictive on many others.  Since this Directive supports the bans of fracking in France and parts of Germany, why is the EA in England and Wales not applying it similarly?

… one of the things we will take into consideration (John Harrison replied) when we have an applicant’s information on their permit application. 

That sounds like -  try it and see if there are any problems, rather than ban it until we know the groundwater will not be polluted (highly unlikely on US experience). 

Though government tells us to rely on the EA to protect our environment, this exchange shows we and the VoG Council cannot do so.

Dwr Cymru critical on Fracking

Dwr Cymru presentation (by Paul Henderson) asked for

"a precautionary approach not only to the protection of groundwater sources used for public supply, but also those used by private abstractors" and mentioned

"the Schwyll groundwater source is an important backup supply for the Bridgend area".

The VoG Council is the 'regulator' for private supplies.  But their EHO has not submitted anything on the risk to these from the development.

Here is the full report given at the

VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (ECONOMY & ENVIRONMENT)

MEETING TO CONSIDER SHALE GAS EXTRACTION

Thank you for your letter of 29 September inviting Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to give evidence to your Council’s Scrutiny Committee inquiry on 17 October into the potential impact of the extraction and burning of shale gas. The guidelines enclosed with your letter suggest that witnesses should submit written evidence in advance of the meeting.

Background

Dŵr Cymru is a statutory water and sewerage company. Our supply area covers most of Wales, including the Vale of Glamorgan. We have some three million customers in total: we provide an essential public service by supplying their drinking water and then carrying away and dealing with wastewater. Dŵr Cymru is owned by Glas Cymru a not-for-profit company with no shareholders and we are run solely for the benefit of our customers.

The extraction of shale gas as an energy source is fairly well established in some countries. Our understanding is that gas production in commercial quantities usually requires the induction of fractures in the rock to increase permeability. A common method of achieving this is hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) where fluid containing chemicals and sand is pumped at high pressure via a borehole into the gas bearing rock to develop fractures which are propped open by the sand particles, a process that may need to be repeated every few years to maintain gas flow.

The Committee will be aware that concerns have been raised, notably in the USA, that the drilling of exploratory and production boreholes, together with associated activities such as “fracking”, may present a risk of pollution of groundwater within aquifers.

There seems to be increasing interest across the UK in identifying and exploiting methane deposits contained in shale formations and also un-mined coal beds. Parts of Wales have been identified for exploration for both of these, including the Vale of Glamorgan.

Dŵr Cymru’s interest

Dŵr Cymru’s interest in shale gas and coal bed methane exploration is confined to the possible impact on our water supplies. Although most of our supplies are from surface water sources such as rivers and reservoirs, we do source about 5% from groundwater. In the Vale of Glamorgan, for example, the Schwyll groundwater source is an important backup supply for the Bridgend area.

The Committee will appreciate that Dŵr Cymru would be very concerned if gas exploration and production risked polluting – directly or indirectly - any of the groundwater which we are able to abstract to maintain public drinking water supplies.

Against that background, we would like to be consulted on and involved in all applications relating to shale gas and coal bed methane so that we can safeguard the interests of our customers. Currently water undertakers such as Dŵr Cymru are not statutory consultees for planning applications. We therefore have to try to keep ourselves aware of any new proposals or rely on local planning authorities realising that we may have an interest and seeking our views on relevant applications. This enables us to assess whether there might be an impact on the quality of the water from which we source drinking water and advise local planning authorities accordingly.

Similarly, we hope that the Environment Agency will consult us on any applications it may receive for related environmental permits.

More generally, given the potential risks that some exploration and production processes may represent, we hope that the regulatory authorities will adopt a precautionary approach not only to the protection of groundwater sources used for public supply, but also those used by private abstractors. They represent an important asset for future generations and restoring polluted groundwater can be prohibitively expensive, assuming it is even technically feasible.

PAUL HENDERSON     Environmental Policy Manager

Billybanks to be the Vale's “Dale Farm”?

Billybanks demolition - Inquiry for 17-18 October cancelled

The Vale Council has for the second time called off a Compulsory Purchase Order inquiry, after high costs in abortive legal work and preparations for the Inquiry scheduled for 17-18^th October.

The local group of Friends of the Earth was supporting the residents including the traveller families on site, but the Vale Council has again avoided making full offers of alternative housing for all affected.

Max Wallis said: “we hope the Council was learn from the huge costs and delays at Dale Farm that it's far better for all to negotiate a settlement rather than go to law. The traveller families are well established on site, making good use of it, and are well accepted locally. The Vale Council has long avoided its obligation to ensure gipsy/traveller sites in the county – now they must accept they need to deliver.”

Dale Farm residents' latest  http://dalefarm.wordpress.com/ on a brutal Council refusing to negotiate on an alternative site - in order to appear tough to voters.
FoE's evidence includes statements from the local MEP (Labour), European Committee and Amnesty condemning the Council action.

FoE on Fracking at the Scrutiny session

Summary of Friends of the Earth contribution (by Max Wallis) at the 17 October Scrutiny Committee:

1. Fracking gas is not a clean fuel, but as bad as coal due to leakages to the air (4-8%) added to combustion CO2, according to the study in the scientific journal Climatic Change.

2. The Minerals Planning Policy Wales does give government guidance (contrary to the Planning Officers' report) and specifies “an environmentally acceptable way” of operation and being “consistent with the principles of sustainable development”. Unless these are demonstrated, the guidance says there's a “case in land use planning terms for placing more restrictions on the development” than ordinary local environmental safeguards.

3. The 29^th Sept. letter to the VoG Leader from the First M|inister, Carwyn Jones, does give a strong steer:
- a “precautionary approach should be taken” and “additional environmental considerations” - presumably the wider ones of being consistent with sustainable development and the UK's carbon targets.

4. As the Licensing system is unified, covering exploration, appraisal and development, the Vale Council could view an exploration application as the first part of a staged application. That would require a full environmental impact assessment, covering all the issues of injected water and chemicals, aquifer and well pollution, methane leakages, seismic tremors, etc. that objectors are bringing up. Indeed, it's irresponsible of the Vale officers to accept the exploration-only application.

Scrutiny exposure of Fracking in the Vale

Vale E&E Scrutiny Committee on FRACKING,
  in Council Chamber, Barry 17 Oct. 2011

A range of protesters and independents were permitted to put a 10-minute case to the Committee, with the applicants (a 'family' business, Coastal Oil and Gas) taking twice that long. Cllr Chris Williams in the Chair told everyone not to relate it to the planning application, but then the chief Officer outlined his planning report on the Llandow application. He reported the reply from the First Minister to the Council Leader as arriving too late, giving no guidance and “in essence” saying the application was for local determination. Yet that letter arrived on the day of the evening planning committee (29 Sept.) but was held back, presumably as it said of unconventional gas extraction that

•  “there are additional environmental considerations” and
•  “a precautionary approach should be taken”.

As well as Louis Evans of ValeSaysNo, an ex-industrial chemist Chris Smith and a US investigative journalist Dennis Campbell, were most impressive. Prof. Joe Cartwright of Cardiff Uni tried to argue the fracking process had been used for decades, but was slapped down by others saying it's near horizontal drilling along the strata and injection of chemicals at high pressure with extraction of flow water that is new. Friends of the Earth speaker, Max Wallis, stressed that the leaks of methane in fracking make it as bad as coal – so a switch to fracking-gas fuel can't help meet the UK's carbon targets.

Cllr Rob Curtis, who'd called for the special meeting, proposed a paper motion calling for a suspension of fracking permits until public concerns had been assuaged – and none of the Committee dared vote against. One said forcefully that there's no regulatory regime in place – despite government talk that the public should rely on the Environment Agency as regulator – as fracking for gas is fundamentally different from coal mining and oil extraction. Another said “precaution” requires us to wait a few years pending sufficient evidence.

Prosiect Gwyrdd phoney roadshow

Prosiect Gwyrdd (incinerator scam) phoney roadshow came to Barry on Saturday 15th Ocotber.  People approached seeing a pile of recycling bins being given away and the prominent messages about what's in your bin. 

Barry DIAG and Friends of the Earth
explained that the real agenda is promoting incinerators - one needs to look at the small print inside P Gwyrdd's caravan - and distributed the flyer on
Scam Gwyrdd in town



Their PR man, Ian Lloyd-Davies was very shy when we opened a camera - he grabbed a green-waste bag to hide behind as below.  But the picture to the lower right got him.

incinerator spin-doctor - so shy

PR-man caught on camera

Friends of the Earth Condemns Vale-of-Glam's change to co-mingled Recycling

Vale Faltering on Recycling Collections   – their rushed decision on short-term Switch to Non-separation threatens Long-term costs

The VoG change is based on conclusions to a shoddy unfinished report. The Council claims support from the Welsh Government, but it’s contrary to the 2011 well-based study** and neither they nor the public can see the VoG consultants' study. The Vale’s Scrutiny Committee failed to examine the issue.

The VoG officers wrote in the report to Cabinet^^ that they “have long believed” in co-mingling (s.8), say there are “drivers requiring a change to co-mingled collections” and rushed to decision before the study results are available (end of financial year) (s.14). It appears they fixed the consultants in order to avoid the earlier conclusions and criticisms of their failures.

Chief waste officer Clifford Parrish in the Council 2-page ad (in the Glamorgan Gem and the B&DN/Penarth Times in July) cited a survey of the top 30 Councils in England and Wales, but not that it was from a big operator of co-mingled systems, and failed to mention the newer Welsh Government-sponsored in-depth and independent study of Welsh authorities. Note that Mr Parrish must take the rap for the Vale’s poor performance relative to all authorities.

The VoG recycling/composting collections are faltering at 38.5% and stagnant, comparing badly with other Welsh authorities. Bridgend's recycling rate exceeds 50% (52% Oct-Dec., 51% July-Sept 2010, up from 33% in 2009), Wales is on 42% (WAG 12 Jan., 29 Mar.,2011). Anglesey and Denbighshire reached 57%. The report said the officers visited Bridgend but suppressed Bridgend’s advice and the possibility of following their example.

Places like Caerphilly (51%) and Cardiff (42%) count all material collected as ‘recycled’ despite rejects being high. Currently the figures are fiddled because all rejects are counted as industrial waste. The Vale Council wants to use this loophole (or scam), but it will soon be closed.

Rather than look at the real reasons, the Vale officers rushed*^ to change to non-separation like Cardiff, despite this being against Welsh government advice and findings on cost-effectiveness. The Welsh report** finds:

• “when optimised systems are compared for all options, kerbside sorting does appear to have the potential to offer a lower overall cost. The advantages of kerbside sorting appear to increase as recycling performance increases. These results suggest that Welsh local authorities will face a challenge in adapting collection systems that may work well now, but may become increasingly sub-optimal as recycling levels increase towards the 70% target.

** Kerbside Collection Options www.eunomia.co.uk/.../Eunomia%20Kerbside%20Collections%20Options%20Final.pdf

• Recently, WAG commissioned consultants to examine the relative merits of different dry recycling systems, making an in depth study of six Welsh 'case study' recycling schemes (two co-mingled, two with material separated into two streams at the point of collection, and two with kerbside sort.
• Their conclusions (Jan.2011) were that “kerbside sort collection... would result in lower financial cost than either co-mingled or two-stream collection (but) the difference in cost is relatively small”. Then with future increased recycling “the cost gap is much greater, with co-mingled and two-stream collection costing £25.6 million (or 22%) and £25.8 (or 22.2%) more respectively” (across Wales).

^^ VoG Cabinet Report of 6^th July 2011  Future Kerbside Recycling Collections

*^  In Sept. 2010, the overall chief Miles Punter was critical of the quality of recycled materials coming through Cardiff's system, told us that he was opposed to co-mingled collection and that any change would be at least a year off and after careful consideration.   Instead they rushed the change through in 9 months - prior to consultants reporting, failing to mention WAG's report of Jan. 2011and  with minimal consultation.

Pro-Fracking trickery in the Vale

This appeared on Cardiffgreengranny blog  24th Sept.2011

Vale Council officers in collusion with the company intervened to stop the E&E Scrutiny Committee considering "fracking" – they planned to take evidence from the company and anti-fracking campaigners – as the Echo reported 23 Sept “Legal Advice halts meeting over fracking”.

The "legal" frightener originated from the company Coastal Oil and Gas; Chair of Scrutiny, Cllr Chris Williams has been called a 'pillock' for going along with Jeff James and failing to insist on independent legal advice. Plaid Cymru is reportedly furious with him, as 'semi-detached' from their Councillor group. 

The Vale Cabinet's Cllr Jeff James has also brought forward the borehole testing application for determination by the planning committee this Thursday. Once the borehole testing application is approved, it would be difficult to refuse any subsequent application.

The Planning Officers' report and Agenda for the 29 Sept. planning Committee should have been posted on the VoG website on Friday, but they did not go up, so the law for 3 days Notice for public comments prior to the meeting appears to be breached. On past experience, Jeff James will ignore this - it will take some serious interventions to halt the VoG leadership's machinations.

UPDATE:

The committee deferred decision for a site visit, despite officials saying the time was up for  deciding.  Letters from the Welsh Government came in on the day (dated 29 Sept.) - Jeff James waved them at the Committee, claiming it gave an all-clear, but did not circulate copies.  This breached Council procedure.  And when the letters came out, they showed the Vale Officers' report was inadequate.

Special VoG council meeting dedicated to fracking

EXTRAORDINARY meeting of a South Wales council will hear arguments on both sides of the debate over the controversial extraction of shale gas in the region.

"Vale Says NO" gives 6pm on Mon. 17th October, which follows a showing of the film Gasland at 3pm and is open to the public.

 Peter Collins reported in the SW Echo 8th Oct.:

Councillors are to hold a special meeting of the Vale of Glamorgan’s economy and environment committee amid growing concerns over plans which could lead to a full-scale fracking operation at the Llandow Industrial Estate.

The Vale Says No campaign group have been invited to address the committee alongside Eden Energy and Coastal Oil and Gas, which has submitted plans to test drill for shale gas at Llandow.

Under planning regulations, the council’s planning committee will have to reach a decision on the plan by October 12 (untrue, and the deferral on 29 Sept. means they won't).

If the test drilling verifies the company’s estimates of the size of the shale gas reserve underneath South Wales, it could open the way for an application for a full-scale hydraulic fracturing operation, known as fracking, to extract the gas.

Pressure is also mounting on the Welsh Government and the UK Government to produce a framework to guide councils faced with planning applications for fracking, which has been accused in America of polluting water supplies.

The scrutiny committee has written to both governments, the Welsh Local Government Association and all Welsh MPs and AMs demanding action on a policy framework.

Environmental campaigner and councillor Rob Curtis said: “The potential discovery of a huge shale gas field below the South Wales coalfield means residents of the Vale need an evidence-based policy which will help protect their local environment.”

Vale council leader Gordon Kemp has called on the Welsh Government to deal with fracking applications given “the significant sensitivities” around applications.

He has called on the Welsh Government to take responsibility in planning matters relating to the exploration and exploitation of shale gas reserves and produce a national Welsh framework policy.

The Welsh Government said it would “welcome working with the UK Government on developing a framework for the whole of UK.”

Louise Evans, of the Vale Says No campaign, said: “I welcome the opportunity to address the committee on this important issue.”

Gerwyn Williams of Coastal Oil and Gas could not be contacted.

The Vale Says No campaign will hold a protest surgery at Cowbridge Town Hall starting at noon on 17th October (tbc).

Wales' First Minister ducks fracking policy

Wales' First Minister wrote on 29 Sept. that Wales would not consider a (new) policy on fracking, in letter to the VoG Leader that took 4 months to write.  This despite the calls including from Labour's Shadow Minister in Westminster (below).

The Irish government is showing Wales up too:

BBC News - Fracking for gas prompts Irish government study - while Welsh Government ducks the issue bbc.in/p3yP8P

Shale gas fracking: UK government policy call - BBC News 31 July 2011 By Caroline Rigby

Shadow UK Energy Minister Huw Irranca-Davies has called for the UK government to devise a policy on shale gas.

The UK's lack of fracking regulation is insane | George Monbiot: Guardian