River Vartry Protection Society

New River Vartry Monitoring, RiverNanny at BT Young Scientist

Our prototype for River Vartry Protection Society’s plan to monitor the whole River has begun.  Donovan Webb was commissioned to produce a system to monitor Climate Change and parameters of the health of the river as a whole.  He has installed the prototype and has entered the BT Young Scientist and Technology this year with RiverNanny – Analysis and Monitoring River Ecosystems -Balancing Drinking Water Use with Natural Environment in a Changing Climate.  He will be on stand 3304 in the Technology section so do drop by and he will be happy to show you what he has done.  Do say you came from the River Vartry Protection Society and he will be pleased.  The exhibition is from the 11th to the 13th of January 2018.

This is a really unique and special application within the EU and should be a good start to really understanding the effects of Climate Change in our little river and hopefully many more in the future.

Wicklow County Council requests Irish Water to give Further Information

The Latest news on the Roundwood Treatment Works Upgrade is that it is on hold until Irish Water answer the Further Information Request by the Wicklow County Council. The Planning Application is on Hold and they have 6 months to answer.

We would like to thank the Wicklow County Council for supporting us in many of our Objections and adding a few of their own. They did not take up the issue of an Independent Environmental Impact Assessment but a decision that this is necessary might come after they receive the answer from Irish Water. They have shown their concern for lack of clarity in the application on Pollution and Abstraction, so could easily conclude that Irish Water are unable to give a proper assessment of the risks involved, as we believe.

We will continue our efforts to make sure that this Upgrade does not happen as it is planned and that the changes required and made before any digger starts and mud flows in the Vartry River.

I have attached the WCC Further Information request below for some interesting reading which illustrates why we are so concerned ourselves and insist that Irish Water must do an EIA.

Wicklow County Council Directed to Prepare an EIS by An Bord Pleanála

Pat yourselves on the back! We have achieved the result we wanted from the hard work of everyone. An Taisce, Friends of the Murrough and Ourselves asked An Bord Pleanála to intercede in the matter and last Friday we received notification of their decision.
DECISION
Direct the local authority to prepare an environmental impact statement in respect of the said proposed development based on the reason and considerations below.

REASONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
Having regard to the sensitive nature of the River Vartry (a designated salmonid river) which discharges to the sea a short distance downstream at the Murrough Wetlands (a costal area designated both as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA), to the likely interaction between the proposed groundwater abstraction and the flow in the river and the possible negative impacts on the ecology of the river system, particularly at low flow, it is considered that the proposed development should be subjected to environmental impact assessment.
In deciding not to accept the Inspector’s recommendation that an environmental impact statement was not required, the Board noted his comments to the effect that the impacts on the River Vartry fisheries were likely and impacts on the SAC and SPA were possible. The Board considered that an environmental impace assessment was appropriate having regard to the sensitivity of the river and estuarine eco-systems.

This does not mean that it is over with the threat from the Water Scheme, only that the WCC must do this in the public eye. We will be pressing them for Local involvement and assistance in preparation of the EIS and that disclosures are made of all documents that might shed light on how much effect to the River they anticipated. (Currently we have requests for documents that have been refused by the WCC that are about to be released by the Commissioner of Information).

Wicklow County Council Withdraws Plan8 for the Moment

Good news from the Wicklow County Council that they have decided to withdraw the application for the Plan8 temporarily, while they wait for information to assess whether an EIA will be necessary.  There are several open issues still to be resolved, which are:

1- Have the CPOs been removed from An Bord Pleanala? It would be a great waste of money and resources if they have not been stopped or suspended.

2- The Wicklow Co. Co. has commissioned McCarthy Hyder to do a simple study.  McCarthy Hyder had originally advised the WCC that an environmental study was not necessary. It is our opinion that this advice was not in the best interest of the River and that the eventual author of the EIA will be someone that exhibits a bi-partisan concern over the river and that the process is monitored by An Bord Pleanála, the Fisheries and the EPA.

3- There were over 60 objections all asking for an EIA. It is certainally clear that there is sufficient public concern to make one manditory under EU and Irish Law.

Can everyone that objected and has received an acknowledgement from the Wicklow Co. Co. to please write back to them, thanking them for re-thinking and pointing out to them the points above?

Still No Comment on the Wicklow County Council Water Scheme

There seems to be silence from the Wicklow County Council so far, without acknowledgement of our submissions or retraction of the Plan 8 process.  It is a week after the closing of objections and silence.  It is important that we have a position soon, because the intention is to hold the first meeting of the River Vartry Protection Society and invite the councillors for a portion of the time to make sure they are informed of all that is happening.  Sometimes there is a disconnect between what the office does and what is reported to the Councillors.  It is important that they do not only rely on the information supplied in the Manager’s Report on submissions, but hear first hand from members of the public.  This will still be important even if the Plan 8 is temporarily withdrawn, only we will have more time to arrange in that case.

The Wicklow Co. Co. has commissioned McCarthy Hyder to do a simple study. McCarthy Hyder had originally advised the WCC that an environmental study was not necessary. It is our opinion that this advice was not in the best interest of the River and that the eventual author of the EIA will be someone that exhibits a bi-partisan concern over the river and that the process is monitored by An Bord Pleanála, the Fisheries and the EPA.

Wicklow County Council may Rethink

There is rumour that the Wicklow County Council is going to rethink the Plan 8 process and withdraw it for the time-being until they have produced an EIS and fixed some of the issues raised.  We understand that this was only to be done last Friday, so (I imagine) they could judge the magnitude of the response and what were the subjects of the complaints.  This will be very welcome news and will hopefully be a step towards resolving this in favour of the River.

This does not mean that we can either stop or let down the pressure but only that we have more time.  For each of your letters that we get from the WCC, we must respond with something like…

We are pleased that you have reconsidered and have listened to the Public on this.  Just to make it clear, an EIS produced by McCarthy Hyder as outlined in your planning documents will not be considered sufficient by the public.  McCarthy Hyder is to closely associated with this scheme to be an unbiased party.  Before submitting this Planing again, we would like a full EIA according to EU Guidelines..

7.2 Where a local authority proposes to carry out development which exceeds the relevant mandatory national EIA threshold, the local
authority is required to seek the approval of An Bord Pleanala to the carrying out of the development.  An EIS must be prepared in all such
cases.  The requirements arise under the Roads Act 1993 and the Roads Regulations 1994 (in the case of road development) and under the
Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (in the case of all other developments).

This will give everyone the opportunity to feel that our Riparian Rights are being observed and the EU Protected River Vartry is not harmed in any way.”

The Wicklow County Council have already commissioned an Environmental Study from their contractor McCarthy Hyder and this would not be sufficient.  We are still really seeking that the deciding force on this is not Wicklow County Council but An Bord Pleanala and experts from the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board and the EPA as well as public participation.

SHOCKING – Wicklow County Council Refuses Freedom of Information for Ground Source Protection Study

It is hard to believe but the Wicklow County Council has denied Freedom of Information Access to an PUBLIC important document which is the Ground Source Protection Study. The formal decision was given on Tuesday the 10th of February at 5:00 pm. Not including the study was injury to the public. Refusing an FOI request making it so that this study will only be available after an appeal and after the deadline is dishonest. We work hard to cooperate with the Wicklow County Council and not turn into adversaries, but with such decisions as this, it is hard. This study delineates just who will be restricted in the use of their own property. There are going to be many people who are unaware that they are in the protection area. These will be some who are going to be forced to change to main sewers, restricted in using any gardening poisons, and for some who farm, will be unable to continue due to restrictions on spreading of fertilizer either organic or chemical. If you draw a 300 meter circle around each of the wells, you will probably catch most of those effected. That is many new objections. If you are in this area, please urgently draw up an objection and deliver it to the Wicklow County Council. If you need any kind of help, just email admin(at)rivervartry.com and we will get back to you at once.

Hydrogeological Assessment Confirms Wicklow Co. Co. is Aware of Danger to River

The Hydrogeological Assessment Study released by the Wicklow Co. Co. under Freedom of Imformation spells out clearly that the River is under threat. The complete study is available under Important Links both “Complete Hydrogeological Assessment” and “Summary Hydrogeological Assessment” (containing the most damning information). Here is just one quote, “...an assessment of the potential impacts of any reduced water levels and flows in the Vartry River may have on the fish populations and other protected species will be examined and a separate report will be prepared if necessary.” Please add your objection to the growing list of neighbours that have already objected.

Eastern Regional Fisheries Board Objects

The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board has added their objection to the list of objections to the Wicklow Water Scheme.  You can read the complete objection clicking on this post or under important links:  Eastern Regional Fisheries Board Objection.   We still need YOUR objection on the Water Scheme by the 13th of February.  We have almost convinced the Wicklow County Council to “do the right thing” but they need to see the amount of people concerned and your objection may be the ONE more that will matter.

Wicklow County Council Water Supply Scheme Threatens River

This is a website dedicated to the Protection of the River Vartry which passes through Wicklow, the Garden of Ireland.  We are landowners and concerned people who want to see that the River will always be a part of the landscape.

This is a Blog. Click on the Comment text just above and leave your questions or opinions or contact us.

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