Loch Fitty complaint: UK asked to justify SEPA's decision

Loch Fitty complaint: UK asked to justify SEPA's decision

Just 17 months after Kingseat Community Council complained to the European Commission that the UK (in the shape of SEPA) breached the Water Framework Directive by authorising the removal of Loch Fitty to make way for a coal mine — on the grounds that it is ‘sustainable development’ as long as the loch is put back again afterwards — the Commission has asked the UK to justify the decision. "It usually takes 10 weeks for a Member State to reply to the Commission. The Commission in turn has 10 weeks to analyse the reply proposed by the national authorities concerned." Fortunately (for Kingseat, if not the miners) Scottish Coal went into liquidation before they could implement the authorisation, but Hargreaves might yet revive the project.

29 Nov 2014 01:43

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