Plan
for $3b offshore island hits snag
By Richard Charan
Trinidad Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
01 21 07
If government's energy experts get their way, a
14 -square kilometre island will emerge off Trinidad's
south-west coast.
It will be bigger that all five
of the Gasparee Islands combined, and span three
kilometres of coastline between Mosquito Creek,
La Romaine, and the Aripero wetlands, near La Brea.
The island will jut five miles out
to sea and linked by a road leading to the mainland.
But 14 months after the National
Energy Corporation (NEC) made an application for
a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) from
the Environmental Management Authority, the $3 billion
project appears to have stalled.
The EMA requested further information
from the NEC about the scope of the work proposed
before the application is considered, according
to EMA documents.
Up to last week, the company had
not submitted the information requested by the EMA.
The Express could not contact the
EMA's communication officer Alicia Charles yesterday.
In a Christmas Eve address to the
national last month, Prime Minister Prime Minister
Patrick Manning said plans for the controversial
aluminium smelter at Chatham, Point Fortin were
virtually scrapped and said "instead, we shall
accelerate development of a new industrial estate
offshore Ohateite Bank from which aluminium production
can now be pursued together with other industrial
plants". In the EMA's letter acknowledging
the NEC's application, it was stated that the required
infrastructure and utility development included
"Corridors for tenants, cause way link from
the coast to offshore reclamation, utilities for
industries and drainage to be provided as part of
the requirement for developing site and accommodating
heavy gas based industry".
The NEC also gave details on the
preparation of the site, the amount of material
to be used, and how it intended to limit damage
to marine life during the five- year development.
The NEC stated in its application
that it was mandated to to pursue the development
by the Standing Committee on Energy.
The EMA has asked for a scaled site
plan showing the
l Location of the proposed reclaimed
area in relation to existing development along the
coastline.
l Conceptual location for the proposed
causeway.
l Provide details on the source
and estimated quantity of dredgematerial to be used
in the proposed reclamation activity.
l Provide a description of the proposed
methods that will be used to ensure the stability
of the proposed reclaimed area.
The NEC was advised that the information
requested needed to be submitted before the application
was assessed.
Trinidad
Express
Monday,
January 15th 2007
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©2006 Trinidad Express. All Rights Reserved.
