RUSAL-owned Aughinish Alumina has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a Dumping at Sea licence in the Shannon Estuary just off Foynes Island.
The dump site is 8.52 hectares (21.05 acres) and is intended for the disposal of up to 668,454 tonnes of dredged material over an eight-year period. In addition, Aughinish Alumina has sought permission to dredge material from four different dredge sites for subsequent disposal in the Shannon Estuary.
Limerick-based solicitor and president of Environmental Trust Ireland, Michelle Hayes, claims the Dumping at Sea licence application by Aughinish to the EPA relates to dumping in a European protected site for nature, namely the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation, and is “clearly unsustainable”.
According to Ms Hayes’ claims, past flooding events in the area have already occurred and climate change resulting in tidal surges up the estuary could result in flooding of the red mud area, causing it to flow into the Shannon.
“The case highlights the conflicting roles of the EPA where, on the one hand, the EPA is responsible for environmental protection and, on the other hand, it is responsible for granting licences to entities which by their very nature inevitably challenge the environmental protection role of the EPA,” she told the Limerick Post.
“These roles should be completely separate and distinct from each other.”
Ms Hayes said that her group, Environmental Trust Ireland (ETI), “which had taken a successful High Court Judicial review last year against the expansion of the red mud and quarry blasting area, was not informed or made aware of the new dumping site application”.
ETI wrote to the EPA stating: “We submit that notice of an application of this type, which involves major environmental issues, should be published as widely as possible, including in a national newspaper to ensure that those with an interest are on notice of the application. However this did not happen.”
In its petition, ETI claimed that Aughinish Alumina had advertised its license application in a small regional newspaper that did not circulate in many areas, therefore denying the wider public a chance to make submissions on the application.
The EPA subsequently wrote to Aughinish Alumina Ltd, requiring it to publish a new notice in a newspaper with broader circulation or in a national newspaper.
Since then, Aughinish Alumina has re-advertised the Dumping at Sea application notice and the new closing date for submissions is Friday February 16.
Aughinish Alumina was asked for comment but none was forthcoming at time of going to print.
