Nobber incinerator decision delayed for a second time

The decision by Bord Pleanala to defer further its decision on the proposed meat and bonemeal incinerator near Nobber has been welcomed by Meath East Fine Gael TD Shane McEntee. The planning appeals board has put back its decision on the proposal by College Proteins for the second time in less than two months. A decision on whether to allow the application by College Proteins for a biomass combined heat and power plant had been expected last Thursday. It is now understood that the decision may still be six to eight weeks away, a development welcomed this week by Deputy McEntee. "No news is good news. My own reckoning is that there is severe political pressure coming on the Minister for the Envirionment John Gormley not to allow a second incinerator in County Meath. In any case, a second incinerator is not needed. Duleek should be able to handle whatever is to be handled. We can't take this latest development, the delay in issuing a final decision as cut and dried, however. We have to keep up the pressure and that is what we will be doing in the coming weeks. This is a high-profile campaign and it can't be ignored," he said. The company had applied for planning permission to Bord Pleanala under the fast-track Strategic Infrastructural Development Scheme (SIDS). An oral hearing into the application took place over several weeks last autumn. Among the objectors to the plan at that time were Nobber Community Development Group, Deputies Shane McEntee and Thomas Byrne, Louth People against Incineration, Mullagh Anti-Incineration Group, Meath Hill GFC, Carrickleck NS and St Brigid's NS boards of management, Kilmainhamwood Nursing Home, along with horse trainer Noel Meade, Drs John McMahon and Sheila Casey, and individuals and families. College Proteins had forwarded detailed technical studies by UK BSE expert, Dr Ray Bradley, addressing ther effectiveness of the incineration, combustion control and minimising of harmful emissions from the proposal 10mW plant. Professor Kevin Dodd addressed veterinary impact while AWN Consulting dealt with any potential dioxin output. Dr Dieter Schrenk set out a lengthy review of any health effects from the plant, modelled on a long-functioning Wykes plant in the UK. These experts concluded that the likely impact of the College Proteins plan on the surrounding neighbourhood would be negligible, including any potential health effects on residents.