Fix Yellowtail EIA completely and satisfactorily

Mar 06, 2022 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Exxon’s consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ERM) has much work to do and deliver to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Because of loud outcries and sustained pressures from concerned environmentalists, among others, the local EPA was forced to ask ERM to go back to the drawing board, and make a real effort at coming up with an acceptable Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Exxon’s fourth oil project in the Stabroek Block, the US$9 billion Yellowtail development.
The EIA document submitted last year is 1,500 pages, but is “seriously deficient” in vital areas, according to one watchful environmentalist, Simone Joly-Mangal. We are thankful for genuine Guyanese like Ms. Joly-Mangal, and the others who make their voices heard and presences felt in meaningful ways. What the leaders of this country have failed to do and to get for Guyana, these sturdy stalwart patriots are making no bones about where they stand, and what is right and safe for Guyana. They have no loyalty save that of the interests of this society and its future. They certainly are not compromised by, or indebted to Exxon in any way. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for leaders in Guyana’s Government of today, which leave so much to be desired. So weak they are, so powerless they have been.
The EIA as it stands today poses grave risks. We quote the words of Ms. Joly-Mangal: “The quantities of toxic and other waste being brought to shore, health, and ecological risks of each of their constituent parts, and how they are treated and disposed of are critical issues, as the toxic waste treatment facilities are in areas where people live and all are at high-risk for flooding and creating a toxic soup on the coast, and our coastal groundwater aquifers are at risk.” Those are neither imaginary nor exaggerated, but very real, and ought to be a cause of serious concern for leaders in government, as well as every citizen of this country.
In addition to proper toxic disposal, the issue of the fate of our fishing sector, and the woes of those who make a living from it, are not matters to be dealt with (by ERM) or accepted (by Guyana’s EPA) in a cavalier manner. ERM can and will do what is in the best interests of Exxon, our EPA must be hawklike in securing the best in safety and security for all the peoples of Guyana, and their present and future prospects.”
We acknowledge that Guyana’s EPA did balk and show some stomach and muscle (for once) and did return the EIA to ERM for ‘fixing.’ This is how a vigilant and vibrant EPA makes a start to fulfil its heavy obligations to society and citizens. Regarding this carefully chosen ‘fixing’ we wait to see what Exxon’s ERM comes up with, and how much it genuinely addresses in its ‘fixing’ of the “significant deficiencies” mentioned before. Exxon’s ERM must think twice about returning what is claimed to be the extent of its ‘fixing’ only for it to be determined that is simply papering over those deficiencies.
Guyana’s EPA and this country’s uncompromised environmentalists must both be ever watchful, and ever guarded, with what ERM hands over. It cannot be partial fixing, or playing with legalese and the camouflages of skillful corporate jargon intended to deceive and mislead. Exxon and its peoples are extremely good at such practices, because they have had long experience in doing so. Whatever ERM comes up with as its ‘fixing’ must be gone through with a fine-tooth comb, and under the intense scrutiny of a critical microscope. Because Exxon has been so cunning in how it has dealt with Guyana’s leaders in both this government and the coalition administration, there cannot be any confidence that it (or its people) acts in good faith.
This fourth project, Yellowtail, must be managed with the greatest care and scrutinised most closely by Guyanese. Exxon and ERM must not be allowed to dictate to us how things are, and what must be. We determine that, we have the right and power to say stop or go forward. We must get Yellowtail right. It starts with ERM’s ‘fixing’ all that is wrong, “significantly deficient”.

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