Press Release 10th March 2014
In the final volume 7 of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the gas-fired power station at Delimara,finalised on 25th February 2014, Enemalta’s consultants confirmed that the Has-Saptan fuelling dolphin will not be relocated as it will not affect the operations of thepower station. This is the reason given as to why the relocation of this dolphin is not considered in the EIA.
The Has-Saptan fuelling dolphin is located in Marsaxlokk bay mid-way between the Delimara power station and the San Lucjan promontory, and is used to load fuel from ships to the Has-Saptan onshore storage installation.
Yet it was reported in the press yesterday 9th March that Enemalta is submitting a separate application to remove the Has-Saptan dolphin after all, as recommended in a report by Italian expert Umberto Maffezzoli which has not yet been made available to the public.
Din l-Art Helwa finds it unacceptable that Enemalta should make such contradictory statements within a space of less than two weeks, and just before the application is due to be decided by the MEPA board on 24th March.
If the fuelling dolphin is to be moved, its new location should be indicated and considered within the same EIA as this relocation is a direct cumulative environmental impact of the proposed location of the gas storage tanker.
Din l-Art Helwa requests that the Maffezzoli report should be published and that Enemalta should indicate the area to which the Has-Saptan fuelling dolphin will be relocated.
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