Din l-Art Helwa today questioned why the government has still not published a risk analysis report which relates to the Delimara gas storage tanker to be located in Marsaxlokk Bay.
The report, by Umberto Maffezzoli, was commissioned by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority and finalised in December 2013.
“In view of the fact that the Mepa board hearing on the application for the Delimara gas power station is scheduled for this coming Monday, it is unacceptable that relevant documents bearing weight on the crucial safety aspect of the tanker’s location are still being withheld from the public only days before the hearing,” the organisation said.
The organisation said it strongly felt that the Mepa board should not be convened to take the decision that would allow the floating gas storage when some of the risk analysis studies had not yet been completed.
“The board should not grant a permit until all the necessary studies have been carried out and made available to the public.”
Din l-Art Helwa said that as the processing of the IPPC environmental permit for the gas power station was already underway, it also asked why it was not possible to bring both the planning and the environmental permits up to the Mepa board for discussion at the same time. This would ensure that a more informed decision was taken on this major project.
The organisation noted that a maritime risk analysis had also not been completed and questioned statements by the Prime Minister that Freeport maritime traffic did not pass through the same bay.
It referred to statements by the new operators that LNG tankers moved in and out of Tokyo harbour all the time without accidents.
Din l-Art Helwa said this was misleading as Tokyo harbour did not have a floating gas storage facility in an old LNG carrier, as was being proposed for Marsaxlokk. Furthermore, the size of Tokyo harbour was also larger than the whole of Malta.
“Din l-Art Helwa asks the authorities to conclude all necessary studies before the Mepa board is convened to take the decision on the location of this LNG tanker and to make the information available to the public as is required by the Aarhus convention governing access to environmental data.”