Stormont is facing legal action over controversial undersea gas caverns approved by Edwin Poots despite wildlife and climate concerns.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs minister gave Harland and Wolff Group, formerly Infrastrata, a marine license for the project near a Game of Thrones filming site ahead of COP26.
Mr Poots’ decision went against the advice of Northern Ireland’s Marine Taskforce and a bird expert within his own department.
Now No Gas Caverns and Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland have jointly launched legal proceedings against DAERA over the Larne Lough plans.
The groups warn the scheme will have a significant impact on the local environment and sea life, as well as undermining efforts to counter the climate crisis.
Under the plans, seven underground caverns would be carved out of salt layers under the lough by a method know as solution mining.
The resulting hyper saline salt solution, created by this excavation process, would then be discharged into the sea near Islandmagee creating a “dead zone” where no marine life could survive.
Increased salinity will also extend for several kilometres with adverse impacts on sensitive species, including otters, dolphins and porpoises.
Eleven Northern Ireland Priority Species, which are given protection under legislation, are found within 100 metres of the discharge point.
No Gas Caverns and Friends of the Earth NI filed papers to the High Court in Belfast, earlier this month, requesting a judicial review.
They are challenging DAERA over a number of issues relating to the gas storage caverns proposal, including the failure to properly assess the need for the scheme, inadequate environmental information, the lack of decommissioning plans and the use of outdated Environmental Impact Assessment regulations.
Lisa Dobbie, from No Gas Caverns in Islandmagee, said: “We are delighted that Friends of the Earth have joined as co applicants in legal proceedings against the department.
“To have the support of such a prestigious organisation is a huge boost to local residents who have fought for years to protect where we live from these huge unnecessary gas caverns and polluting hypersaline brine being pumped into our seas.
“This discharge could severely harm our porpoise, puffin and other priority species and no decommissioning plan for the caverns has been assessed or conditioned in the marine licence.”
Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland director, James Orr, said: “These ill-conceived plans to create gas storage caverns under Larne Lough are a significant threat to the local environment and wildlife and will seriously undermine efforts to confront the climate crisis.
“If this scheme goes ahead, highly polluting hypersaline brine will be pumped into the sea, 450 metres off the coast creating a ‘dead zone’ in an area teeming with wildlife, including seals, sea otters, dolphins and porpoises.
“It’s little wonder local people are angry. This beautiful area is a major tourist attraction and an area of international importance for wildlife.
“We believe DAERA decision-making over this proposal is riddled with errors and is deeply flawed, which is why we are challenging it in court.”
DAERA did not respond to our request for a comment ahead of publication.
