THE START of construction work on billionaire Seán Quinn's proposed new €390m power station in Co Louth has been postponed due to delays in securing a licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA was meant to issue a proposed determination on the project in February but the ruling only appeared last week after the agency twice extended its deliberations.
Although the EPA has now indicated that the Quinn Group will be granted a licence for the gas-fired station, the process is likely to drag on for several months, particularly if an objector seeks an oral hearing into the EPA's ruling.
The delays mean Quinn is unlikely to be able to achieve his initial goal of commissioning the plant by the end of 2010. Quinn had intended to start building the station, which will produce 445 megawatts of electricity, this spring.
Despite recent estimates that Quinn's personal fortune declined by almost 40% last year, the Quinn Group told the Sunday Tribune that construction work would begin as soon as it had secured the EPA licence. "The group remains of the view that the power sector is an important strategic area to be involved in," said a spokesman.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label epa and planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epa and planning. Show all posts
Monday, 4 May 2009
Monday, 27 April 2009
EPA warns of rising temperatures
Ireland needs to get ready for longer heat waves and periods of drought, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned today.
Average temperatures in Ireland will rise by up to 1.8 degrees Celsius by 2050, according to a report published by the EPA today. The report predicts that summer and autumn will warm up faster than winter and spring, with the midlands and east warming more than coastal areas.
The report Climate Change in Ireland: Refining the Impacts for Ireland , also predicts that winter rainfall will increase by 10 per cent, while reductions in summer rainfall of 12 to 17 per cent are projected by 2050.
The largest winter rainfall increases are expected to take place in the midlands and by 2050, reductions in summer rainfall of between 20 and 28 per cent are projected for the southern and eastern coasts.
Longer heat waves and drought may also occur which will be especially important for eastern and southern parts of Ireland, the report states.
“We are looking at changes in extremes at both ends of the spectrum, more rain and more intense rainfall at one end and then heat waves and droughts at the other,” said Professor John Sweeney, the lead author of the report said. “However, considerable uncertainty still remains in several areas, particularly in relation to rainfall. A risk management type approach to adaptation will be required to take account of these uncertainties.”
Laura Burke of the EPA said further research was required to “reduce scientific uncertainties and increase confidence in projections for decisions on investment in infrastructure and development”.
The report concludes that there is an urgent need to adopt appropriate mitigation and adaptation responses to the risks posed by climate change, notwithstanding the challenges of recent economic events.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Average temperatures in Ireland will rise by up to 1.8 degrees Celsius by 2050, according to a report published by the EPA today. The report predicts that summer and autumn will warm up faster than winter and spring, with the midlands and east warming more than coastal areas.
The report Climate Change in Ireland: Refining the Impacts for Ireland , also predicts that winter rainfall will increase by 10 per cent, while reductions in summer rainfall of 12 to 17 per cent are projected by 2050.
The largest winter rainfall increases are expected to take place in the midlands and by 2050, reductions in summer rainfall of between 20 and 28 per cent are projected for the southern and eastern coasts.
Longer heat waves and drought may also occur which will be especially important for eastern and southern parts of Ireland, the report states.
“We are looking at changes in extremes at both ends of the spectrum, more rain and more intense rainfall at one end and then heat waves and droughts at the other,” said Professor John Sweeney, the lead author of the report said. “However, considerable uncertainty still remains in several areas, particularly in relation to rainfall. A risk management type approach to adaptation will be required to take account of these uncertainties.”
Laura Burke of the EPA said further research was required to “reduce scientific uncertainties and increase confidence in projections for decisions on investment in infrastructure and development”.
The report concludes that there is an urgent need to adopt appropriate mitigation and adaptation responses to the risks posed by climate change, notwithstanding the challenges of recent economic events.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 29 January 2009
EPA licences for animal feed plants recommended
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency should take control of licensing plants that process waste human food for use as animal feed, an Oireachtas committee heard yesterday.
Representatives of the waste management industry were before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture. The committee is holding hearings into the recent food crisis in which pigfeed was contaminated by toxic substances known as dioxin-like PCBs, resulting in the withdrawal from sale of all Irish pork products.
Jackie Keaney, vice-president of the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP) said the pork crisis was “not just a health, food and economic crisis – it was and is very much an environmental crisis”. This means we must ensure our “environmental practices, policies, regulations and infrastructure best serve our citizens, economy and international reputation,” he said.
Ms Keaney said BSE, foot-and-mouth, the Belgian food crisis and the Irish pork crisis were all caused by inappropriate treatment of waste.
Millstream Recycling in Co Carlow, the plant at the centre of the pigfeed crisis, is under investigation after it emerged that industrial oil had been used in the heating process used to convert waste human food into animal feed. A food-grade oil should be used for the process.
Millstream had a licence from Carlow County Council, but was not required to be licensed by the EPA. Ms Keaney said to avoid such a crisis happening again, a “good start” would be to ensure that any activity where contaminated, recycled waste could potentially enter the food chain was licensed by the EPA.
John Ahern, managing director of Indaver Ireland, which is building incinerators or waste-to-energy facilities in Meath and Cork, said lessons had not been learned and that Ireland was “sleepwalking” into another such food crisis.
Mr Ahern claimed Government policy was being advanced “that may result in further food crises”.
He referred to Minister for the Environment John Gormley’s stated policy of prioritising MBT – mechanical biological treatment – in his waste-management policy.
This system, which results in the output of fuel and a biologically treated “compost-like” product to be spread as fertiliser, could not kill PCBs as the temperatures used were not high enough, Mr Ahern said.
A number of members of the committee, including Kerry North TD Martin Ferris, said they had an “open mind” on incineration. Cork East TD Ned O’Keeffe, who is a farmer, said most problems were caused by “bad management” at farming level and that he also had an open mind on incineration.
Green Party Senator Dan Boyle, in whose constituency Indaver’s Cork incinerator will be based, defended Government policy on mechanical biological treatment and said it had been adopted as the fastest-growing method of waste treatment throughout Europe.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Representatives of the waste management industry were before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture. The committee is holding hearings into the recent food crisis in which pigfeed was contaminated by toxic substances known as dioxin-like PCBs, resulting in the withdrawal from sale of all Irish pork products.
Jackie Keaney, vice-president of the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP) said the pork crisis was “not just a health, food and economic crisis – it was and is very much an environmental crisis”. This means we must ensure our “environmental practices, policies, regulations and infrastructure best serve our citizens, economy and international reputation,” he said.
Ms Keaney said BSE, foot-and-mouth, the Belgian food crisis and the Irish pork crisis were all caused by inappropriate treatment of waste.
Millstream Recycling in Co Carlow, the plant at the centre of the pigfeed crisis, is under investigation after it emerged that industrial oil had been used in the heating process used to convert waste human food into animal feed. A food-grade oil should be used for the process.
Millstream had a licence from Carlow County Council, but was not required to be licensed by the EPA. Ms Keaney said to avoid such a crisis happening again, a “good start” would be to ensure that any activity where contaminated, recycled waste could potentially enter the food chain was licensed by the EPA.
John Ahern, managing director of Indaver Ireland, which is building incinerators or waste-to-energy facilities in Meath and Cork, said lessons had not been learned and that Ireland was “sleepwalking” into another such food crisis.
Mr Ahern claimed Government policy was being advanced “that may result in further food crises”.
He referred to Minister for the Environment John Gormley’s stated policy of prioritising MBT – mechanical biological treatment – in his waste-management policy.
This system, which results in the output of fuel and a biologically treated “compost-like” product to be spread as fertiliser, could not kill PCBs as the temperatures used were not high enough, Mr Ahern said.
A number of members of the committee, including Kerry North TD Martin Ferris, said they had an “open mind” on incineration. Cork East TD Ned O’Keeffe, who is a farmer, said most problems were caused by “bad management” at farming level and that he also had an open mind on incineration.
Green Party Senator Dan Boyle, in whose constituency Indaver’s Cork incinerator will be based, defended Government policy on mechanical biological treatment and said it had been adopted as the fastest-growing method of waste treatment throughout Europe.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 7 September 2008
EPA wins suit against One51 company
A SUBSIDIARY of One51, the investment company chaired by Philip Lynch, has been successfully prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for breaching its pollution control licence.
The EPA "is extremely concerned at the level of non-compliance" at Premier Proteins, a hazardous waste processor specialising in meat rendering, according to documents seen by this newspaper.
Last week, the company admitted that it had failed to control odours at its facility in Ballinasloe, Co Galway and had used alternative treatment options for gas emissions without seeking EPA approval. It was fined a total of €3,000 by Ballinasloe District Court.
The EPA has said it is considering taking further action against the firm, which is part of One51's environmental division, which has been identified for a potential stock market flotation worth an estimated €495m.
"The EPA conducted a number of unannounced odour assessments as late as (two weeks ago) which confirmed the presence of odours from the facility off-site," said a spokeswoman.
EPA documents catalogue a series of licence breaches over the past year at the plant including poor record-keeping and the malfunctioning of the thermal oxidiser, a crucial piece of odour reducing equipment.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
The EPA "is extremely concerned at the level of non-compliance" at Premier Proteins, a hazardous waste processor specialising in meat rendering, according to documents seen by this newspaper.
Last week, the company admitted that it had failed to control odours at its facility in Ballinasloe, Co Galway and had used alternative treatment options for gas emissions without seeking EPA approval. It was fined a total of €3,000 by Ballinasloe District Court.
The EPA has said it is considering taking further action against the firm, which is part of One51's environmental division, which has been identified for a potential stock market flotation worth an estimated €495m.
"The EPA conducted a number of unannounced odour assessments as late as (two weeks ago) which confirmed the presence of odours from the facility off-site," said a spokeswoman.
EPA documents catalogue a series of licence breaches over the past year at the plant including poor record-keeping and the malfunctioning of the thermal oxidiser, a crucial piece of odour reducing equipment.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 28 August 2008
Corrib gas partners must change licence
THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said that the Corrib gas partners will have to reapply to change their emissions licence for the Corrib gas refinery, following an agreement brokered by Shell EP Ireland with north Mayo fishermen.
In a related development, a fisherman who refused to sign up to the Shell agreement, due to fears about the project's environmental impact, has been issued a warning by the Department of Transport's deputy chief surveyor. Pat O'Donnell has been told to keep vessels in his ownership a safe distance from the Highland Navigator, which has been carrying out surveying work for Shell EP Ireland ahead of the arrival of the pipelaying ship Solitaire in Broadhaven Bay.
The EPA's issuing late last year of an integrated pollution prevention control (IPPC) licence to the Corrib gas refinery was described as a "significant milestone" by Shell EP Ireland. The licence application had been the subject of an oral hearing in north Mayo.
However, the EPA said the company would have to reapply to it for any changes to its licence in relation to a recent agreement secured with Erris fishermen.
The fishermen had opposed the licence application at the EPA oral hearing on the grounds that marine emissions from an outfall pipe would have a negative impact on Broadhaven Bay.
The fishermen's association subsequently negotiated with Shell, and signed a compensation deal earlier this month in return for co-operation during offshore pipelaying.
As part of that agreement, the company promised the association it would use an "alternative method" of discharge for produced treated water, which is "subject to statutory approval".
Shell EP Ireland said yesterday that it was "currently examining a number of options with regard to the disposal of produced treated water . . . As part of the final decision on the optimum process we will consult with the relevant statutory authorities".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
In a related development, a fisherman who refused to sign up to the Shell agreement, due to fears about the project's environmental impact, has been issued a warning by the Department of Transport's deputy chief surveyor. Pat O'Donnell has been told to keep vessels in his ownership a safe distance from the Highland Navigator, which has been carrying out surveying work for Shell EP Ireland ahead of the arrival of the pipelaying ship Solitaire in Broadhaven Bay.
The EPA's issuing late last year of an integrated pollution prevention control (IPPC) licence to the Corrib gas refinery was described as a "significant milestone" by Shell EP Ireland. The licence application had been the subject of an oral hearing in north Mayo.
However, the EPA said the company would have to reapply to it for any changes to its licence in relation to a recent agreement secured with Erris fishermen.
The fishermen had opposed the licence application at the EPA oral hearing on the grounds that marine emissions from an outfall pipe would have a negative impact on Broadhaven Bay.
The fishermen's association subsequently negotiated with Shell, and signed a compensation deal earlier this month in return for co-operation during offshore pipelaying.
As part of that agreement, the company promised the association it would use an "alternative method" of discharge for produced treated water, which is "subject to statutory approval".
Shell EP Ireland said yesterday that it was "currently examining a number of options with regard to the disposal of produced treated water . . . As part of the final decision on the optimum process we will consult with the relevant statutory authorities".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Irish greenhouse gas emissions down slightly in 2006
Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions fell by almost 1% in 2006, according to the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA says the figure equates to a reduction of almost 600,000 tonnes.
However, Irish emissions would have actually increased if it wasn't for the fact that the Moneypoint power station was not in use at the time due to improvement works.
A breakdown of the figures show that farm emissions were down 1.4% during 2006, but transport emissions were up by 5.2%.
Total emissions for the year were just under 70 million tonnes, which is 25.5% above 1990 levels.
Under the Kyoto treaty, Ireland will face financial penalties if emissions are not reduced to 13% above 1990 levels within the next four years.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The EPA says the figure equates to a reduction of almost 600,000 tonnes.
However, Irish emissions would have actually increased if it wasn't for the fact that the Moneypoint power station was not in use at the time due to improvement works.
A breakdown of the figures show that farm emissions were down 1.4% during 2006, but transport emissions were up by 5.2%.
Total emissions for the year were just under 70 million tonnes, which is 25.5% above 1990 levels.
Under the Kyoto treaty, Ireland will face financial penalties if emissions are not reduced to 13% above 1990 levels within the next four years.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
New oral hearing over incinerator, says FG
The Poolbeg incinerator, which was granted planning permission last year, is to be subjected to a fresh oral hearing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to Fine Gael.
Fine Gael TD for Dublin South East Lucinda Creighton said she was informed by the EPA yesterday evening that its board had made the decision to conduct an oral hearing and would be informing the parties concerned in writing today.
The EPA said it had received 14 valid objections and eight requests for an oral hearing.
A date for any hearing has yet to be confirmed.
However, if the EPA decided not to grant a waste licence to the facility, following a hearing, the proposed incinerator could not go ahead despite having secured permission from An Bord Pleanála.
The incinerator, which would be Dublin's first municipal waste incinerator and one of the largest in Europe, was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála last November following a lengthy oral hearing.
Within days of the Bord Pleanála decision, the EPA announced its intention to grant a waste licence to Dublin City Council to operate the facility.
A 28-day period of statutory public consultation on the proposal ensued during which the EPA received the requests for an oral hearing from several residents' groups and local politicians.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley, before his appointment, objected to the potential granting of a licence in a letter dated October 5th, 2006.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Fine Gael TD for Dublin South East Lucinda Creighton said she was informed by the EPA yesterday evening that its board had made the decision to conduct an oral hearing and would be informing the parties concerned in writing today.
The EPA said it had received 14 valid objections and eight requests for an oral hearing.
A date for any hearing has yet to be confirmed.
However, if the EPA decided not to grant a waste licence to the facility, following a hearing, the proposed incinerator could not go ahead despite having secured permission from An Bord Pleanála.
The incinerator, which would be Dublin's first municipal waste incinerator and one of the largest in Europe, was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála last November following a lengthy oral hearing.
Within days of the Bord Pleanála decision, the EPA announced its intention to grant a waste licence to Dublin City Council to operate the facility.
A 28-day period of statutory public consultation on the proposal ensued during which the EPA received the requests for an oral hearing from several residents' groups and local politicians.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley, before his appointment, objected to the potential granting of a licence in a letter dated October 5th, 2006.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 15 November 2007
EAST GALWAY LANDFILL BREACHES WASTE CONDITIONS
A Controversial landfill located near Ballinsloe has been issued with a notification of non -compliance with its waste licence due to the detection of both gas and waste odours.
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that a Greenstar-owned landfill in east Galway breached the conditions of its waste licence.
Today's Irish Times reports that the non-compliance notice was issued to the Greenstar owned site in Kilconnel following an inspection by the office of enviromental enforcement.
However, Greenstar has replied to the notice saying a significant amount of work has taken place to reduce gas and waste emissions since the inspection was carried out.
www.buckplanning.ie
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that a Greenstar-owned landfill in east Galway breached the conditions of its waste licence.
Today's Irish Times reports that the non-compliance notice was issued to the Greenstar owned site in Kilconnel following an inspection by the office of enviromental enforcement.
However, Greenstar has replied to the notice saying a significant amount of work has taken place to reduce gas and waste emissions since the inspection was carried out.
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 8 October 2007
Revised draft of Ireland's second National Allocation Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a revised draft of Ireland's second National Allocation Plan for Emissions Trading in Ireland.
This follows the conditional approvals given by the EU Commission in November 2006 and July 2007 to the previous draft and the subsequent revised directions from Government. The plan sets out the EPA's proposals for distributing these allowances to the various industrial sectors and participants involved.
A consultation process on the revised draft plan commenced on 4th October 2007. The purpose of this second public consultation is to facilitate the public in expressing their views on the revised draft second National Allocation Plan. All submissions received by 5.00pm on October 31st 2007 will be considered with a view to improving the plan before the EPA takes the Final Allocation Decision for the 2008-2012 period, as required under the Emissions Trading Regulations.
Commenting, Dr Mary Kelly, Director General, EPA said - "In revising the Draft Plan, full recognition has been given to the increasingly important role of renewables in electricity generation (power generation accounts for two-thirds of the available national allowances) as envisaged under the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 and as set out in the White Paper - Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland.
"In addition, the EPA is proposing to increase the dedicated set-aside of emissions allowances - designed to promote Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facilities in the power generation sector from 450,000 to 750,000 allowances. CHP is a highly-efficient technology for energy production and one in which Ireland lags behind many of our EU partners."
Emissions Trading is a cap-and-trade scheme, where participating installations are given a fixed allocation each year and must either abate CO2 emissions to that level, or purchase allowances to meet any exceedance. It is designed to bring about reductions in emissions at least cost.
Dr Ken Macken, Programme Manager, EPA said that - "Continued implementation of the Emissions Trading Directive will help Ireland to meet its Kyoto obligations in a cost-effective manner. Whereas, developing the Draft Plan has been a complex task, I believe our proposals are fair and transparent and take into account the environmental integrity of the scheme and the potential effects on the economy.
"The EPA is aware of the potentially significant economic consequences associated with the implementation of the Directive and is being advised by a National Allocation Advisory Group, which was appointed by Government to advise the EPA on how best to discharge its obligations in formulating the National Allocation Plan" - he added.
Over 100 major industrial and institutional sites in Ireland are covered by the plan. These include - power generation, other combustion, cement, lime, glass and ceramic plants and oil refining. Also included are large companies in areas such as food & drink, pharmaceuticals and semi-conductors.
Under the revised plan, the total quantity of allowances to be allocated in the period 2008-2012 represents 87% of forecasted emissions in that period, with the burden falling mostly on the power generation and cement sectors. New entrants to the scheme in the five-year period are catered for through a specific set aside of allowances.
To download the draft second National Allocation Plan - Click Here
Key Changes in the Revised Draft of the National Allocation Plan (2008-2012)
* The total allocation of allowances is reduced from a previous average of 22.638 million allowances per annum, to a revised average of 22.262 million allowances for the five years 2008-2012;
* Over 90 per cent of the these allowances will be allocated free of charge to existing installations;
* Allocations will be made, based on historical emissions from existing participants;
* Approximately 9 per cent of the available allowances will be held back by the EPA for issue to new entrants;
* Adjustment for increased use of renewables in electricity production;
* Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to receive special treatment;
* Where companies close during the Kyoto phase, the EPA will withhold the issue of allowances for future years to these companies (except for rationalisations between smaller companies under the same operator, where special transfer arrangements will apply).
Allowances retained in this way will be added to the new entrant set aside;
* 0.5 per cent of allowances are to be sold to defray the expenses of administering the emissions trading scheme;
* Certain smaller installations will be excluded from the scheme under a new de minimis threshold.
* The total amount of additional linking credits from the Kyoto Protocol project mechanisms that can be used by operators in the scheme for the period 2008-2012 has been set at -
- 12% of the allocation to each installation in the Powergen Sector
- 11% in the Cement Sector - and
- 1% in the General Sector.
The National Allocation Advisory Group comprises the Chief Executives (or their senior nominees) of the Commission for Energy Regulation, Forfás, the National Treasury Management Agency and Sustainable Energy Ireland - together with the Director General of the EPA - under the chairmanship of Dr Edward Walsh, Emeritus President of the University of Limerick.
This follows the conditional approvals given by the EU Commission in November 2006 and July 2007 to the previous draft and the subsequent revised directions from Government. The plan sets out the EPA's proposals for distributing these allowances to the various industrial sectors and participants involved.
A consultation process on the revised draft plan commenced on 4th October 2007. The purpose of this second public consultation is to facilitate the public in expressing their views on the revised draft second National Allocation Plan. All submissions received by 5.00pm on October 31st 2007 will be considered with a view to improving the plan before the EPA takes the Final Allocation Decision for the 2008-2012 period, as required under the Emissions Trading Regulations.
Commenting, Dr Mary Kelly, Director General, EPA said - "In revising the Draft Plan, full recognition has been given to the increasingly important role of renewables in electricity generation (power generation accounts for two-thirds of the available national allowances) as envisaged under the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 and as set out in the White Paper - Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland.
"In addition, the EPA is proposing to increase the dedicated set-aside of emissions allowances - designed to promote Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facilities in the power generation sector from 450,000 to 750,000 allowances. CHP is a highly-efficient technology for energy production and one in which Ireland lags behind many of our EU partners."
Emissions Trading is a cap-and-trade scheme, where participating installations are given a fixed allocation each year and must either abate CO2 emissions to that level, or purchase allowances to meet any exceedance. It is designed to bring about reductions in emissions at least cost.
Dr Ken Macken, Programme Manager, EPA said that - "Continued implementation of the Emissions Trading Directive will help Ireland to meet its Kyoto obligations in a cost-effective manner. Whereas, developing the Draft Plan has been a complex task, I believe our proposals are fair and transparent and take into account the environmental integrity of the scheme and the potential effects on the economy.
"The EPA is aware of the potentially significant economic consequences associated with the implementation of the Directive and is being advised by a National Allocation Advisory Group, which was appointed by Government to advise the EPA on how best to discharge its obligations in formulating the National Allocation Plan" - he added.
Over 100 major industrial and institutional sites in Ireland are covered by the plan. These include - power generation, other combustion, cement, lime, glass and ceramic plants and oil refining. Also included are large companies in areas such as food & drink, pharmaceuticals and semi-conductors.
Under the revised plan, the total quantity of allowances to be allocated in the period 2008-2012 represents 87% of forecasted emissions in that period, with the burden falling mostly on the power generation and cement sectors. New entrants to the scheme in the five-year period are catered for through a specific set aside of allowances.
To download the draft second National Allocation Plan - Click Here
Key Changes in the Revised Draft of the National Allocation Plan (2008-2012)
* The total allocation of allowances is reduced from a previous average of 22.638 million allowances per annum, to a revised average of 22.262 million allowances for the five years 2008-2012;
* Over 90 per cent of the these allowances will be allocated free of charge to existing installations;
* Allocations will be made, based on historical emissions from existing participants;
* Approximately 9 per cent of the available allowances will be held back by the EPA for issue to new entrants;
* Adjustment for increased use of renewables in electricity production;
* Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to receive special treatment;
* Where companies close during the Kyoto phase, the EPA will withhold the issue of allowances for future years to these companies (except for rationalisations between smaller companies under the same operator, where special transfer arrangements will apply).
Allowances retained in this way will be added to the new entrant set aside;
* 0.5 per cent of allowances are to be sold to defray the expenses of administering the emissions trading scheme;
* Certain smaller installations will be excluded from the scheme under a new de minimis threshold.
* The total amount of additional linking credits from the Kyoto Protocol project mechanisms that can be used by operators in the scheme for the period 2008-2012 has been set at -
- 12% of the allocation to each installation in the Powergen Sector
- 11% in the Cement Sector - and
- 1% in the General Sector.
The National Allocation Advisory Group comprises the Chief Executives (or their senior nominees) of the Commission for Energy Regulation, Forfás, the National Treasury Management Agency and Sustainable Energy Ireland - together with the Director General of the EPA - under the chairmanship of Dr Edward Walsh, Emeritus President of the University of Limerick.
Friday, 3 August 2007
EPA defends policy on spills
A senior official with the Environmental Protection Agency has defended the agency's policy on notifying the public of industrial spillages and leakages after a senior figure in the Green Party called for a more proactive approach by the agency to public notification.
Kieran O'Brien, programme manager of licence enforcement in the office of environmental enforcement in the EPA said he was satisfied that industries were notifying the agency of significant spillages and leakages in keeping with the agency's licensing requirements.
"I am satisfied that the guidance is quite clear and that industry has a good understanding of what is required in terms of incident notification and that they know that we take a very serious view of any failure to notify us of an incident," said Mr O'Brien.
He was responding to former Cork South Central Green Party TD Dan Boyle who expressed concerns that the agency was not posting details of industry
incidents in recent months as frequently as it did when it first launched the service in August 2005.
Mr Boyle was commenting in the wake of a leakage of 100 litres of methanol vapour at Pfizer's plant at Little Island, Co Cork, last month, and he was especially critical of the EPA's policy of notifying the public of the leakage.
"I fully accept the EPA's report on the leakage and I accept that it doesn't present any dangers to the public, but I'm very disappointed with the manner in which people learned about this through the newspapers two days later," he said.
Barry Roche
© 2007 The Irish Times
Kieran O'Brien, programme manager of licence enforcement in the office of environmental enforcement in the EPA said he was satisfied that industries were notifying the agency of significant spillages and leakages in keeping with the agency's licensing requirements.
"I am satisfied that the guidance is quite clear and that industry has a good understanding of what is required in terms of incident notification and that they know that we take a very serious view of any failure to notify us of an incident," said Mr O'Brien.
He was responding to former Cork South Central Green Party TD Dan Boyle who expressed concerns that the agency was not posting details of industry
incidents in recent months as frequently as it did when it first launched the service in August 2005.
Mr Boyle was commenting in the wake of a leakage of 100 litres of methanol vapour at Pfizer's plant at Little Island, Co Cork, last month, and he was especially critical of the EPA's policy of notifying the public of the leakage.
"I fully accept the EPA's report on the leakage and I accept that it doesn't present any dangers to the public, but I'm very disappointed with the manner in which people learned about this through the newspapers two days later," he said.
Barry Roche
© 2007 The Irish Times
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