Fight the pipe!

National Grid promised most faithfully to clear up after themselves. What is happening in our lanes is that the road is caving in above the line of the pipe and being covered in soil subsiding from the track of the pipeline above.

National park officials are “gravely concerned” with the lack of progress to restore land along the route of a major natural gas pipeline. The work on the £1bn project between Pembrokeshire and Gloucestershire was completed last November. But Brecon Beacons National Park said “extensive areas” of exposed piles of soil meant silt running off into protected rivers and villages.

National Grid, which built the pipe, said heavy rain made work difficult. It said it had downed tools over the winter to prevent damage to the soil, but would start again in the spring.

NATIONAL GRID HAS NOT DOWNED TOOLS OVER THE WINTER MONTHS. AT CILFREW THEY CONTINUE TO CARRY IN CEMENT TO AN UPLAND BOG AREA. THEY ARE CONSTRUCTING A PRESSURE REDUCTION STATION IN THE WETTEST WINTER RECORDED. THE RIVER DULAIS IS CONSTANTLY SILTED AND HAS BEEN FORWELL IN EXCESS OF A YEAR. THIS IS A EARTH QUAKE ZONE WHICH HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY DRAINED FOR ONE YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS INTO SURROUNDING AREAS. 600 METRES FROM CILFREW AND ABOVE THE VILLAGE WHICH NESTLES UNDER THE UPLAND BOG WHERE THIS MASSIVE PLANT NOW LAYS. WATER CASCADES OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN BELOW THE VILLAGE IN AREAS THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY. WATER BOWSERS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO UPLAND AREAS WHERE THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN WATER SHORTAGES PREVIOUSLY.

AT TREBANOS IN THE SWANSEA VALLEY THE DESECRATION OF ONE OF THE OLDEST FARMS IN THE AREA, WHERE PROTESTORS CAMPED OUT TO TRY AND STOP THE CARNAGE LAST YEAR, IS COMPLETE. NATIONAL GRID SAY THEY WILL RETURN IN THE SPRING TO COMPLETE THE RE INSTATEMENT. IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO REINSTATE THIS FARM DUE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE THEY HAVE INCURRED. THERE ARE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA WITH WATER CASCADING OUT OF OLD MINE WORKINGS IN A LAND SLIP ZONE.

IN THE GWENDRAITH VALLEY FARMLAND IS FLOODED WHICH HAS NEVER FLOODED IN LIVING MEMORY. YET FARMS ON MOUNTAINS & UPLAND AREAS HAVE SEEN THEIR NATURAL WATER SUPPLIES DISAPPEAR. NATIONAL GRID HAVE BEEN SUPPLING FARMS WITH WATER FOR MONTHS.

AT FELINDRE WHERE THE GROUND CAVED IN TO AN OLD MINE WORK HAS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THIS WINTER AND CONTINUES TODAY.

IN THE AMMAN & LLANDYBIE AREA THERE ARE TORRENTS OF WATER ON WHAT WAS WAS ONCE OPEN WELL DRAINED FARMLAND. NATIONAL GRID CONTINUE TO DO GROUND WORK ON THE LAND COMPACTING THE SOIL AND BUILDING UP UNTOLD ENVIRONMENTAL TROUBLE FOR THE FUTURE IN THE WETTEST WINTER ON RECORD

THE PEOPLE OF BRECON AND OTHER AREAS WILL TESTIFY THAT NATIONAL GRID HAVE NOT DOWNED TOOLS OVER THE WINTER

WHERE IS THE TRUTH?

THIS IS THE TRUTH

A local 28-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the bomb threat that closed South Hook LNG on 29th January 08.

All workers were evacuated from the site in the morning, after management received a phone call containing a threat to the site.

After a massive police search the site was declared safe and staff were called back for the night shift.

Police confirmed that a local man from the Milford Haven area was arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.

National Grid won’t be allowed to build a gas plant in Corse.Villagers who have been campaigning against the building of a Pressure Reduction Installation in Corse are over the moon after a planning inspector refused permission for it.

The station would have been a vital part of a new 122-mile pipeline being built between Swansea and Tirley. The pipe would have carried 20 per cent of the UK’s gas - but without the PRI the pipe will have to carry much less.

The council refused permission for the PRI in October last year but National Grid appealed. Now, after a three-week planning inquiry in April and May, planning inspector Kenneth Smith has concluded the council was right. He said the power company didn’t do enough research into other locations and that the station would ruin the countryside around Corse.

Peter McMurtrie, CAPRI chairman, said: “We’re delighted that the compelling and comprehensive case presented by ourselves and the council has been successful. “We consider that the decision is a proper recognition of the strength of opposition to the PRI - and the validity of the arguments presented by CAPRI at the inquiry when proposals put forward by National Grid were subjected to public scrutiny.”

But a spokesman for National Grid indicated the fight was not over yet.MHe said: “We are disappointed planning permission for Corse PRI has been refused. “We will look very carefully at the wording of the refusal and will consider all the options available to us.”

A Controversial £1 billion gas pipeline running between Swansea and Gloucestershire was officially switched on last November. The 197-mile pipeline runs from Milford Haven, in south-west Wales, to National Grid’s planned Pressure Reduction Installation Centre in Tirley, Gloucestershire.

Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks MP travelled to Felindre, outside Swansea, for the switch-on.

The pipeline links into the new Liquefied Natural Gas terminals at Milford Haven and feeds into the National Grid’s UK-wide network. The LNG is converted into its natural state at the terminals and fed into the pipeline, eventually providing 20 per cent of the UK’s energy supply.

National Grid executive director of transmission, Nick Winser, said 156 miles of the pipeline has been put underground and the land “reinstated” with work on the remaining 47 miles to be carried out next year.

The Royal Bank of Scotland “the oil and gas bank” is one of the leading contributors to the 197 mile, unnecessary pipeline. Monday is the National Day of Local Action against RBS. Let RBS know that you are unhappy with where they are using your money.

Climate Change  RBS - “Make It Happen”

www.risingtide.org.uk

Taken from: BBC News

Gas terminal worker’s body found.

Rescue teams using a remote camera have located the body of a worker, who died at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal site in Pembrokeshire.

The sub-contractor was working on a maintenance platform, alongside a jetty at Milford Haven port, when it collapsed at 1500 BST on Saturday.

He is believed to be a 44-year-old Dutchman. His family have been informed.

Seven men were rescued and one man is “stable” in hospital.

South Hook LNG said they have been unable to remove the man’s body so far because of the jack-up barge’s instability.

Dyfed Powys Police said: “Every effort is being made to recover the body, which is believed to be a 44-year-old Dutch national.”

A South Hook LNG spokesperson confirmed the death with “deep regret” and said next of kin had been informed.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family,” said the spokesperson.

“We can confirm that all the other individuals on the barge are accounted for and are safe.

“The relevant authorities are in attendance at the scene and an investigation is underway.”

Five men were rescued by boat from the jack-up barge, and two were pulled from the water.

The floating jack-up barge is a four-legged platform.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched an investigation at the terminal, which is being built at Milford Haven.

Coastguard crews, police, fire and ambulance teams joined Milford Haven Port Authority in the search for the missing man until it was called off late last night.

Dyfed-Powys Police said it suspended the operation due to weather conditions last night but the search resumed on Sunday using a remote vessel.

Specialist divers were unable to enter the water for safety reasons.

Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA) established an exclusion zone around the barge, which is listing heavily, amid fears it could capsize.

But the port was able to reopen on Sunday afternoon.

There is a 2,000 litre diesel tank in the water, but this is currently intact, said a police spokesman.

The Environment Agency and MHPA are monitoring the situation and an anti-pollution vessel is at the scene.

There has been no risk to the general public throughout this incident, the spokesman added.

Saturday 6th of October @ Plough in Easton, Bristol.

“the pipeline, the pipeline, it cut through all our trees
the pixies, the pixies, they fucked their JCBs!”

Taken from The Citizen

A Campaign group could seek a judicial review if plans for a gas plant at Corse go against them. Members of Capri (Campaign Against Pressure Reduction Installation) are awaiting the decision of a planning inquiry into the proposed National Grid siting of a structure near their village.

Capri opposes the structure, despite National Grid’s claims that it is a vital part of the new 200km gas pipeline infrastructure to run between Milford Haven and Tirley - due to carry a fifth of the national supply.

Both sides are now awaiting the inquiry outcome, due in October, following the district council’s initial decision to refuse National Grid’s application to develop a six acre Greenfield site.

Capri argued on grounds of environmental damage, visual intrusion and suggested the installation was a potential terrorist target.

Capri advisor Richard Furness recently travelled to Brecon, Wales, where protestors voiced similar concerns over the environmental impact of the project.

Mr Furness, said: “We were invited by the people of Brecon to attend the meeting.

“National Grid did not expect us to be there, and were very guarded with the answers they gave local people.

“The locals had a lot of concerns about safety.”

He said Capri could consider taking the case to court if defeated at the inquiry.

But National Grid spokeswoman Caroline Davidson insisted the installation was a vital part in maintaining the right pressure of gas throughout the additional pipeline.

She added: “This is an essential pipeline that, on completion, will take 20 per cent of the gas needed to supply UK natural gas demand.

“This meeting was one of many that we have held during the project with members of the public to discuss the project.

“We are awaiting the outcome of the inquiry.

“There is a freephone community relations hotline - which is 0800 731 0561 - if people would like more info about the project.”

TAKEN FROM: SchNEWS Issue 600, Friday 24th August 2007

Brecon The Law

The Brecon Beacons gas pipeline works were sabotaged during a night of covert action this week. It’s the latest effort in the campaign to fight the building of a high pressure gas pipeline across southern Wales (see SchNEWS 593 and 576). A small crew managed to bypass security and equipped with just a wrecking bar were able to immobilise eleven earth working machines including tippers and excavators, and hole the pipeline itself in several places. Protesters badly damaged engines and hydraulics on the machines. Check FIGHT THE PIPE for background.

Taken from: The Big Welsh Gas Project

An intriguing little “consultation document” tucked away in the dusty recesses of National Grid’s huge, rambling website reveals that the multinational company are considering the possibility of inflicting yet another giant pipeline on the good people of Wales.

CLICK HERE TO READ IT

The document reveals that this pipeline will be a “duplicate” of the Milford Haven to Tirley pipeline and will not be commissioned until late 2010, at the earliest.

The original Milford Haven to Tirley pipeline was ultimately triggered by “Capacity Auctions” held by National Grid in early 2004. In it’s new guise as Enron-esque international energy trader, the Grid is obliged under the terms of it’s license to make gas capacity available to the big LNG shippers (i.e. ExxonMobil, British Gas etc.) NG needed 3 years from the point of the auction to design, build and commission the pipeline.

It was a lovely plan which must have looked wonderful in the Lab but didn’t really take account of that unpredictable beastie - local opinion. For some reason, the idea of running a bloody great 4 foot pipe with significant safety and environmental issues through the Welsh countryside bothered quite a lot of people…

So heck, why not bother people all over again!

While NG don’t make clear what route they are proposing for this new pipeline, British Gas’ enthusiastic respose to the consultation gives us a few clues;

“… the planning and construction of a major civil engineeringproject can be very complex particularly where the route may involve national parks or other environmentally sensitive areas. However, the Long Term system Entry Capacity (LTSEC) allocation process had been formulated upon a 3 year lead time being sufficient for any project.”

But as National Grid point out;

“There are inherent risks with delivery of the duplicate pipeline within a nominal 3 year investment lead time, including the potential for the project to be affected by significant external factors beyond National Grid NTS’s control associated with delivering elements of the duplicate pipeline. These external factors are principally the timescales associated with obtaining consent under the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations, planning permissions and easements from landowners.”

In other words, the Nod, the Handshake, and a couple of CPO’s slapped on unco-operative farmers.

So there we have it. National Grid are thinking about it, British Gas want it, and the language of the document is revealing inasmuch as “a duplicate pipeline” quickly metamorphoses into “the new duplicate pipeline” later on in the text.

Do you get the feeling that somebody somewhere has already made their mind up?