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An uncaring betrayal: Dr. Vincent Adams says as EPA exempts hazardous gas plant from impact study
Kaieteur News – Former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams during an Alliance For Change (AFC) press conference on Friday told reporters that the regulator has ‘uncaringly’ betrayed the people whose lives it should be protecting, as it has moved to exempt a hazardous gas plant to generate electricity from a detailed impact study.
Petroleum Engineer, Dr. Vincent Adams
Dr. Adams, a Petroleum Engineer with over 40 years of experience in the sector was at the time offering comments on the statements made by the Executive Director of the EPA, Kemraj Parsram that the regulator’s role is not merely to decide whether impact studies are required, but to implement provisions into permits to form part of regulating the project.
Parsram while defending the EPA’s decision to waive the study during a Public Hearing hosted by the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB) on March 22, 2023 explained, “The role of the EPA is not just to say no EIA is required or EIA is required. It is after the fact, it is the permitting, it’s the regulating of that project that is important; otherwise the EPA should require an EIA or every single aircraft that comes into Guyana or every car that we drive because they all emit air pollutants. So we have to be sensible and that is what the EPA is doing, (acting) sensible based on scientific information and practical.”
Dr. Adams on the other hand said he has never heard a statement more “dumbfounding”. He argued that an EIA must be conducted for the possible hazards to be identified, which can then be regulated by the Agency through an Environmental Permit.
The former head of the EPA told reporters, “Now how in heaven’s name could you even come up with the provisions without an EIA? Again, I’ve said it over and over and many have said it, the EIA is the bible of these types of major projects. It identifies hazards by applying scientific data and information and studies to identify hazards.”
As such, he argued that without an EIA, the EPA has failed to highlight the hazards “so for him to come and say well our role is not to only determine whether you need an EIA or not but implement provisions, you cannot have provisions in these major projects without an EIA.”
According to Dr. Adams, the statements from the EPA boss were “disrespectful, dismissive, arrogant, flippant and it’s an uncaring betrayal in the interests of the people who the EPA is supposed to be protecting.”
The Specialist said this reasoning from the Executive Director exposes the “incompetence to which the people of Guyana are subjected.”
Two appeals were made to the EAB regarding the decision to exempt the gas-fired power plant from an EIA. The citizens already had an opportunity to cite their concerns to the Board which is expected to hand down its decision shortly- to uphold the Agency’s decision or to order the study.
The plant is a component of the Wales Gas-to-Energy project that is presently pegged at US$2.1 billion. The other aspects include the pipeline to transport the resource and a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility that will treat and separate the elements.
The Government of Guyana has said the project will cut the cost of electricity by 50 percent but in the absence of updated feasibility studies, activists fear that the project may end up a white elephant.
Importantly, given the dangers associated with gas, citizens have publicly stated their disapproval of the project being exempted from a detailed EIA.
Two citizens, Attorney-at-Law Elizabeth Deane-Hughes and environmental activist, Vanda Radzik in their letter of appeal to the EAB, dated February 5, 2023 said the project can cause serious impacts to lives and livelihoods, insisted that a sound EIA must inform the decision of the EPA to grant a Permit for the power plant. Fourteen other Guyanese also attached their signatures to the objection letter addressed to the EAB.
“Gas fired plants and NGL facilities and the pipelines that feed them are notoriously dangerous. People’s lives, livelihoods and lands are at risk. Toxic gases, chemicals and hazardous wastes are generated along with substantial emissions, flarings etc. that pollute the environment and affect the health of humans,” the citizens pointed out.
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