This week’s confirmation by the government that they will not back the controversial Swansea Tidal Lagoon has brought in mixed emotions.
Southport's Libdems are not happy about the news.
“Disappointing, but certainly not surprising” stated Southport’s Liberal Democrats, who have been suggesting a similar scheme for Southport.
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/tidal-lagoon-decision-not-end-say-lib-dems/
Above: Previously, Southport’s (now ex) Cllr Fred Weavers had come up with the idea of a tidal lagoon at Southport.
Souport's MP Damien Moore also backed the Lagoon idea for the town saying: “Despite our political differences, I will work with Cllr Weavers as well as colleagues in Government over the coming years to help turn this ‘prospect’ into a reality.”
Above: Damien Moore MP, now lost in the political tide over his government's lagoon refusal?
Therefore, the Conservative refusal to back the Swansea scheme must have been rather embarrassing for Mr Moore after his previous pledge to promote lagoons with Fred Weavers. Political promises are hollow things when HQ pulls the plug on finances, it seems.
https://www.otsnews.co.uk/high-tide-at-southport-so-what-about-freds-tidal-lagoon/
Angling groups have however recently celebrated the news that the government will not be supporting the Welsh Lagoon plan.
Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal said:
“After being fully engaged in assessing the risks of this project for many years now, we believe this is fantastic news for anglers and many others who care about the fish populations in South Wales rivers and coastal waters and I applaud the Government’s decision. Although the company’s spin doctors and Chief Executive relentlessly presented this project as having huge economic and environmental benefits, the truth is that it would have generated very few long term jobs, highly expensive energy and huge risks to the local and regional environment.”
Welcoming the announcement. Ray Lockyer, Life President of Pontardawe and Swansea Anglers, said:
"This proposal has been a major concern to us for the last five years and we have had to put in a tremendous amount of work opposing the various consents that it requires. Our fears that it could cause major harm to the runs of salmon and sea trout into the Tawe and other Swansea Bay rivers have been taken seriously by NRW and other experts and we hope that those consent processes will come to an end, now that a generating subsidy for this monstrosity has been refused."
RSPB opposition to the scheme
The RSPB have stated that lagoons are a “high risk” technology and could potentially cause the loss of habitats for wildfowl and other birds, the “risk of mortality to fish and other animals that pass through the turbines” and could interfere with the sediment flows throughout the estuary.
Some have also compared such schemes to be on a par with controversial fracking plans and the ecological concerns that arise therein.
Pat Regan ©
http://pat-regan.blogspot.com/
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