Latest update January 6th, 2025 4:00 AM
‘Show us the feasibility and EIA studies done by US EXIM Bank for Gas-to-Energy project’- Dr. Adams
Kaieteur News- Former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, has challenged Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo to publish the studies reportedly done by the United States Export Import (US EXIM) Bank for the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) Project.
Caption: Former EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams
On Thursday, the Vice President at his weekly press conference at Freedom House, Georgetown, argued that the Bank conducted its own feasibility and environmental studies before arriving at its decision to provide financing for the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and the 300-megawatt (MW) power plant, currently being constructed at Wales, West Bank Demerara.
He said, “So suddenly, the United States of America, the U.S. EXIM Bank did its own feasibility study, it did an environmental study and it made the loan to the government of Guyana so they were wrong on all counts…for years we took a beating for one, it’s not feasible; two, there’s no environmental impact study and three, the loan will not happen – all three were proven wrong.”
To this end, Dr. Adams argued, “Well show us those documents and first of all, EXIM Bank cannot do an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment).”
He was at the time delivering remarks during the Alliance For Change’s (AFC’s) first press conference of 2025.
The former Head of the Agency explained that Guyana’s Environmental Protection Act is clear in terms of the protocol that must be followed for the conduct of an EIA. Consequently, he said, “So don’t come…he’s coming with this foolishness that EXIM did an EIA and we said they never did an EIA.”
Kaieteur News understands that the EIA process not only involves the review of impacts from a project but also critically involves Guyanese to allow for comments, feedback and questions at almost each stage. An EIA is usually conducted following a decision by the EPA. The public is usually then engaged to inform the consultant of issues that should be addressed in the study. Upon completion of the study, it is published for public comments again.
Dr. Adams also pointed out that the EIA conducted by ExxonMobil for the gas pipeline clearly stated that a separate environmental study would be done for gas plants. He recalled that government said there would be no EIA for the project but is now claiming that the US EXIM Bank not only conducted an EIA but a feasibility study for the project.
“What was interesting is that he is giving us all kinds of numbers, show us those numbers, you said you were gonna produce at 22 cents per kilowatt now you are producing at four cents, but you are selling at 22 cents. Everything is what he makes up in his mind. Show us those numbers where it came from a credible source,” the former EPA boss urged.
(‘Show us the feasibility and EIA studies done by US EXIM Bank for Gas-to-Energy project’- Dr. Adams)
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