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As we approach the summer and consider the mad
scramble of the October 2011 elections, it is perhaps worth a reminder
how Jersey In Peril came about and how much that happens is not
always reported.
Below is one of the 'Optioneering Plans', commissioned by WEB (Jersey's Waterfront Enterprise Board) and obtained by Save Our Shoreline in 2008. The Jersey Evening Post covered the story when the plans were shown to them by Save Our Shoreline, and the JEP's representation of the plans is included below. It was around this time that Save Our Shoreline decided to use a website to provide extra information which was otherwise hard to put across. Hence the start of the Jersey In Peril website.
What WEB do: The Jersey Evening Post reported not long ago that The Managing Director of WEB, Stephen Izatt, is paid a huge salary of approximately £270,000 p.a. yet few people (and we suspect many States Members) know exactly what it is that WEB do to improve things, as the publc wonder just how Jersey's Waterfront can ever be made acceptable let alone attractive. The damage has long been done, and no amount of new glass boxes as currently favoured by Environment Minister Freddie Cohen, however well designed by top off-island architects can make it work. Back to the 'Optioneering Plans': SOS established that a senior planner sat on the panel with WEB and discussed possible new reclamation zones, despite the clear knowledge that three of the zones fell within the Ramsar south-east coast Wetland Area and all five were in the Marine Protection Zone established (after SOS' work, report and 12,000 signature petition) and passed by the States in 1995. Keith Patrick, Scott Wilson's Ports engineer, told an SOS representative that his company had stressed to WEB that three of the areas would encroach into the Ramsar Area and all five were in potential conflict with the MPZ policy of the States. Mr. Patrick offered written confirmation to SOS of this, but was blocked by WEB development Manager Neil Sproston who was reported as saying: 'Scott Wilson were asked to undertake some consultancy work in respect of high level develpment options for these areas, the findings of which are contained in the Island Plan Strategic Review Green Paper which is the subject of public consultation.' It remains the case that attempts were being made to find areas for deep water berths, cruise liner options and re-siting of the fuel farm. This last measure would have been necessary as an SOS outside consultant and Buncefield expert confirmed last August that the current site at La Collette is hazardous due to the proximity of the new incinerator complex to the Fuel Farm and Connex site. Our report and risk assessment map can be found here. Whatever the outcome of the Optioneering Plans it is clear that a lot of money was spent, secretly and needlessly. FIRST EMISSION DATA FROM ENERGY FROM WASTE PLANT RELEASED Transport and Technical Services have released the first data following testing of the two new furnaces at the new incinerator in recent months. (SOS requested this information at the last Ramsar Management Authority meeting). Click the diagram below to download the data sheets for Jan - March 2011 as a PDF. As yet we are awaiting more detail, but we publish what we have been given so far.
Though pleased that so far the emissions are within limits set down by the Regulator, it is an anomaly that the flues from the plant share a chimney with the Jersey Electricity Company from which emissions are unregulated, and we hope that this will be addressed soon as promised by the Assistant Environment Minister at the aforementioned RMA meeting. Also worrying is the non separation of batteries and other metal items from the waste stream (an estimated 800,000 domestic batteries were burned last year) and the continued burning of tyres. We also await confirmation that all heavy metals are 'scrubbed out' and mercury, in particular, is not released into the atmosphere. Jersey In Peril will from now on be produced quarterly rather than monthly. We follow events closely and much work is done by SOS members and others which due to time and other commitments, cannot be fully reported on these pages. For example the removal of contaminated material from the Gas Place site, some to be exported and some to be buried at La Collette at 'Cell 30' is a complex subject and will need a special issue. Similarly the JEC are trialling a new chemical to replace Nalco Seatreat, which is currently added to the power station cooling waters and this also needs studying. As many are aware, SOS hold information that we have agreed not to publish due to an ongoing investigation into pollution events and safety issues during the building of the incinerator. We will keep you abreast of any developments. But until that time or any other event needs examining, we will maintain our Facebook pages and members will be notified of future Jersey In Peril releases. Please click on the link below if you wish to contact us. Please use this website as a reference for work that we have done on marine issues that affect our island, most recently on the Waterfront and south-east coast. We note from our statistics that several Sates Officers from Planning and Environment regularly visit this website and download our files. We are pleased that we are able to be of assistance as a reference point. Thank you for your continued participation.
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