News and Media Releases
The Corrib Gas partners reject Shell to Sea’s allegations
23/03/2007
Yesterday afternoon a group of approximately 30 Shell to Sea protestors, some from outside the area, pushed down a gate and trespassed onto the Bellanaboy terminal site.
This trespass was a flagrant violation of health and safety procedures required for everyone visiting or working on an active construction site. This action further illustrates Shell to Sea’s irresponsible behavior.
Furthermore, Shell to Sea’s claims about threats to, and impact on, drinking water quality in the local area are untrue.
The allegation that a "brown-coloured liquid" was seeping from the site yesterday has been investigated and found to be spurious. There is no evidence of any unusual discolouration of the water run-off.
The quality of the surface water leaving the terminal site is constantly monitored by SEPIL and also independently monitored by Mayo County Council. The monitoring results are reported on a regular basis to the Project Monitoring Committee, which includes representatives from the NorthWestern Regional Fisheries Board and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Shell’s landholding around the terminal site comprises only 2 per cent of the total catchment area of Carrowmore Lake, and the terminal earthworks area constitutes only a small part of the site.
The surface water quality coming off the site is not having a significant impact on the receiving watercourses including Carrowmore Lake. Water run-off from the site does not affect the quality of drinking water provided from Mayo County Council’s water treatment plant. Mayo County Council continually monitor the quality of the drinking water from their treatment plant, and information on this is made available to the public.