The Environment Agency have launched a consultation for an environmental permit application received from UK Oil & Gas plc (UKOG) for the Arreton Well Site.
UKOG have licences to drill for oil on the Isle of Wight. There have been over 3,000 objections to the application for a well exploration site in the Arreton area.
Valid objections
When responding to the consultation the Environment Agency say they take account of:
- Relevant environmental regulatory requirements and technical standards.
- Information on local population and sensitive sites.
- Comments on whether the right process is being used for the activity, for example whether the technology is the right one.
- The shape and use of the land around the site in terms of its potential impact, whether that impact is acceptable and what pollution control or abatement may be required.
- The impact of noise and odour from traffic on site.
- Permit conditions by providing information that we have not been made aware of in the application, or by correcting incorrect information in the application (e.g. monitoring and techniques to control pollution).
What can’t be considered
However, they cannot take account of:
- Issues beyond those in the relevant environmental regulations.
- Anything outside the remit of the EPR, e.g. the proposed location of the site, which is done by the local authority via land use planning.
- Whether a site should have a formal designation under Habitats Directive or other conservation legislation.
- Whether the activity should be allowed or not as a matter of principle. For example we will not consider whether wood, gas, or coal should be burnt to produce electricity; only that the options and environmental impact of say wood has been considered. We will not consider whether a waste incinerator proposal should be turned into a sorting and recycle proposal, only that the incinerator options and effect have been considered.
- Land use issues when determining a permit application, even if changing the location of the activity would improve its environmental performance.
- The impact of noise and odour from traffic travelling to and from the site.
- The legally defined process we follow to determine a permit.
- The granting of a permit/variation if the operator is able to demonstrate that they can carry out the activity without significant risk to the environment or human health.
To take part in the consultation head over to the Environment Agency’s Website. The consultation closes on 9th July.
Thanks to John for the head-up.
Image: John Schnobrich under CC BY 2.0
