Campaign groups ‘Food not Fuel’ and ‘Down to Earth’ have pulled out of the public inquiry into the controversial biofuel power station in Southall.
Food not Fuel and Down to Earth were planning to give evidence about the impacts at the inquiry.
But planning inspector Ken Barton has ruled out consideration of “wider issues”. This means that key issues such as sourcing of the fuel, deforestation, competition with food production and climate change are now inadmissible.
In March 2009 a planning application was submitted to Ealing council by Blue-NG to build a power station in Southall powered by virgin vegetable oil. The application was unanimously rejected by the Planning Committee but Blue-NG appealed and Secretary of State John Denham has called a public inquiry.
Deepak Rughani from Food not Fuel said “We are opposed to the scheme because burning vegetable oil has disastrous consequence. Whether the power station burns rapeseed oil from England or palm oil from Indonesia it will compete with food production worldwide and will increase food prices and hunger.
“The main argument being used in favour of biofuels is that it reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, but the evidence shows quite the opposite, industrial biofuels in fact produce more greenhouse gases than fossil fuels.”
Vera Roger from Down to Earth said: “We objected to the scheme in good faith. But now the inspector has ruled out our grounds from consideration there is no point in taking part in the inquiry. It will now be far easier for him to agree to Blue-NG’s plant.
“It is nothing short of a ‘stitch up’.”
Food not Fuel and Down to Earth were planning to give evidence on the impacts of biofuels on food shortages and rising food prices, on deforestation caused directly by biofuels and indirectly when food production is displaced to grow biofuels and then more forest is destroyed to grow food.
They also planned to give evidence on claims biofuels exacerbate climate change due to deforestation and other land use changes and nitrogen fertiliser use.
But at the ‘pre-inquiry meeting’ Blue-NG tabled a paper saying all these issues should be ruled out of the inquiry. Only local issues such as air pollution and traffic should be discussed. Despite objections by Food not Fuel and Down to Earth, the inspector agreed with Blue-NG.
bert, south africa around 1 year, 11 months ago