AIE-025-034-IFI | Decision – resubmission of AIE-024-064-IFI
Pollution
Decision by OCEI to overturn refusal by EPA to release records related to National Environmental Complaints Line (NECL)
Pollution incident in relation to felling licence CK15-FL0052
AIE NPWS Pollution Incident CK15-FL0052
AIE-059-2023
Loughmore Canal, Limerick
IDA Ireland intend to carry out maintenance dredging works to Loughmore Canal, Limerick.
The canal runs for approximately 1.0 kilometres through Loughmore Common Turlough PHNA, a shallow often dry turlough supporting an inland assembly of typically saltmarsh plant species as well as Groenlandia Densa which is a protected species under the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000. The canal is a sealed, raised, artificial drainage channel with connectivity to the turlough.
In April 2022 the National Parks and Wildlife Service issued licence No. FL08/2021 – amended to IDA Ireland permitting IDA to take protected flora, alter or otherwise interfere with the habitat or environment of a species of protected flora.
The project requires Loughmore Canal to be dredged, with the removal of all dredged material to a suitable licensed facility. Prior to the commencement of these works, the removal of the protected plant “Opposite-leaved Pondweed” by the Project Ecologist with the assistance of the contractor shall take place. The exact location and scope of the works is laid out in the tender documents.
Previous Dredging (2018)
Dredging works to Loughmore Canal. Construction of temporary haul road and turning area, site clearance works, preparatory works, removal of vegetation, removal of silt, disposal of vegetation and silt, reinstatement of fields along the temporary haul road.
EPA Licenced Sites in the IDA Park
https://epawebapp.epa.ie/licences/lic_eDMS/rss/P0036-01.xml
https://epawebapp.epa.ie/licences/lic_eDMS/rss/P0224-04.xml
https://epawebapp.epa.ie/licences/lic_eDMS/rss/P0023-03.xml
https://epawebapp.epa.ie/licences/lic_eDMS/rss/P0991-02.xml
Incidents of agricultural pollution in Northern Ireland rivers from 2017 to 2021
How many incidents of agricultural pollution have been recorded in Northern Ireland rivers from 1st of January 2017 to the 30th of April 2021? (please include impact i.e. high, low)
a. Of those incidents how many resulted in a prosecution
b. Of those incidents how many resulted in a penalty / fine
c. Of those incidents how were they dealt with? (warning letters etc.)
During the date range specified in the query there were:
– 1023 Low Severity Incidents (605 where the polluter was identified and 418 where there was no polluter identified);
– 247 Medium Severity Incidents (189 where the polluter was identified and 58 where there was no polluter identified); and
– 39 High Severity Incidents (20 where the polluter was identified and 19 where there was no polluter identified)
Northern Ireland Water Ltd: Category 1-3 water pollution incidents past 5 years
Northern Ireland: Pollution Incident Management System (PIMS) – Statistics for 2020-2021
DAERA
Reported pollution incidences in Northern Ireland from 01 October 2020 to 30 September 2021
1962 reports of potential water pollution were either received or directly found by staff.
Of these, of which all reports are physically visited, 1055 were recorded as no pollution found at the time of inspection. Of the remaining 907 incidents, 770 were classified as Low Severity, 121 as Medium Severity and 16 as High Severity. This is based on the NIEA’s Pollution Severity Classification criteria. Of the 770 Low Incidents, polluters were identified in 363 of these investigations.
Of the 121 Medium incidents, polluters where identified in 95 investigations
Of the 16 High incidents, polluters were identified in 8 investigations
Unlicenced Tree Felling Licence, lands at Toormore, Kerry
TFL00477520
AIE
Landowner clear-felled the area with no licence in place.
Drastic sedimentation release and run-off into the downstream Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment SAC. (500 meters away)
Plus environmental pollution incident on site, burst pipe from the forwarder caused hydraulic fluid to mix with the sediment water and running off into the down stream Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment SAC
Area clear felled is situated between two watercourses, that are tributaries of Deenagh River (important salmonid river)
Harvesting Pollution Incident, Knockacummer Wind Farm, Mullaghareirk Mountains, Cork
AIE 21 179 TFL00376919
Clear-felling works at wind farm under felling licence TFL0037691 causing pollution incident
“Applicant hasn’t adequately adhered to the conditions of the felling license. They have not
adhered to the Forest and Water Quality guidelines, Forest Harvesting and the Environment
guidelines, Standards for Felling and reforestation and Appropriate Assessment mitigation
measures. There are no silt traps evident in the drains in the affected areas. Brushing of the
extraction route is completely inadequate.”
“Without remedial actions, there is a real risk of a much larger pollution incident taking place
in the future, when it rains and the disturbed peat soil/liquidised peat soil flows down the slope
and off the site.”
Agricultural Pollution (Northern Ireland): Fines
Fines for breach of cross compliance rules related to the protection of water against pollution in NI.
There were 47 breaches found on NI farms during 2020, with 40 of these incidents resulting in penalties worth 3% of basic payments.
This set of regulations covers the likes of slurry spreading and nutrient run-off from farmyards.
Almost 80% of the farms inspected for these rules last year were deemed at risk of being non-compliant.
Seven farmers were found to be in breach of rules relating to landscape features