Fines for developers urged over tree felling, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
Archive for April, 2008
Green Party frog concerns, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright has raised his concern at the growing number of dead frogs being found in local ponds and wildlife areas.
Cllr Enright said “I have been approached by some local residents and Green Party members expressing their concern at the large amounts of frogs lying dead around ponds in Downpatrick marshes. This is very concerning as frogs and tadpoles play important roles in the food chain for wildlife in the Down District.”
Cllr Enright also raised the issue of the growing risk of the Chytrid Disease which has been wiping out amphibians all over the world.
Cllr Enright said “In order to rule out the possibility of the Chytrid disease I have been in contact with the Institute of Zoology in London and also raised the issue with the School of Biological Sciences at Queens University Belfast and I will be arranging for tests to be carried out on the dead frogs to establish the cause of their death”
Cllr Enright said “Shifting temperatures due to Climate Change have made water conditions perfect for the further spread of this fungus disease. The disease has probably accounted for one-third of all the losses in amphibian species to date. These losses are huge and this is in addition to other threats such as habitat destruction, pollution, hunting as well as the main spread of the disease being Climate Change.”
The disease has only been detected once in the UK in American bullfrogs that had set up home in two small lakes in South-East England, but no further spread has been apparent.
Cllr Enright concluded “Climate change is a global threat, and is causing changes in ecosystems around the world. The Chytrid Disease is what is killing the frogs, but it is Climate Change that is pulling the trigger.”
We have already seen the spread of Malaria and also the spread of Bluetongue Disease due to Climate Change. The Chytrid Disease is just one more example which shows how this growing threat to global security is the biggest issue facing us as a society today. Although it is not certain that this disease is what is killing the frogs in Downpatrick, it is a very worrying possibility. Even if it is not the Chytrid disease, we are still facing an epidemic and it has to be investigated.
Press Cuttings: Dead frogs cause of concern, Discovery of dead frogs concern
John Hardy, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
The Green Party has called for the heaviest financial penalties possible to be imposed on those responsible for illegally felling more than 80 trees protected by Tree Preservation Orders (PTO) in the Newcastle area.
The indigenous trees were felled by a developer wishing to build apartments at Myrtle Lodge. The trees formed part of a habitat rich in wildlife including deer, otters and kingfishers.
Green Party Newcastle spokesperson John Hardy said: “No one should be able to profit from breaking the law, yet time and time again we see developers being handed menial fines which do not act as a deterrent. I am calling for the maximum fine of £30,000 per tree to be imposed. This would send out a clear message that there is no financial incentive for disregarding TPOs. It is time to get serious. People responsible for environmental crime must be financially punished to such an extent that it is not worth their while exploiting the environment.”
The trees also protected against soil erosion into the nearby Shimna River .
Mr. Hardy said: “There orders need to be fully enforced by the Planning Service and the EHS and Northern Ireland badly needs an independent Environmental Protection Agency if such crimes are ever to be stamped out.”
Press Cuttings: Tree Outrage, tree felling at myrtle lodge, FINES FOR DEVELOPERS URGED OVER TREE FELLING
Cadogan Enright, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
Down District Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright has welcomed the support of some fellow Councillors in passing a motion on Monday night calling for support for the local renewables industry.
“The motion I put before the Council was asking them to express their concern that recent separate decisions by Ministers Dodds and Robinson in the Assembly, which when taken together, will effectively end the renewable energy industry in Northern Ireland. This industry has developed to provide cleaner, cheaper energy and heating for homeowners and will become increasingly important in tacking climate change.”
He continued, “It is encouraging that the other Councillors in Down District Council recognise the importance of the climate change issue and that in dealing with this threat we can take advantage of opportunities for creating highly-skilled, private sector jobs. The renewable sector employs almost 600 people in 66 businesses in County Down alone and over 1600 across Northern Ireland. It is therefore essential that we support this industry and ensure that it has the capacity to deal with an increased need for renewable energy in the future.”
“I am particularly grateful to the SDLP, DUP and Sinn Fein Councillors who have recognised the social, economic and environmental benefits of supporting an industry which allows energy security, self-sufficiency and lower running costs for all buildings, while at the same time improving the environment. We already have twice the number of people working in renewable energy in County Down that would be employed in any nuclear power. Termomax in Bangor alone have produced about 7 million evacuated tubes so far, which are now producing approximately 122,500,000 megawatts of power annually worldwide. Remember, a fossil fuel powerstation can only produce 250 to 300 megawatts an hour at full capacity.
Cllr Enright concluded, “An important part of the motion was that if it were passed, it would be copied to all the Councils in Northern Ireland for debate, so hopefully Down District can lead the way in campaigning on this important issue.
Press Cuttings: Support for renewables, Recorder, Support for Renewables, Observer
Cadogan Enright, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
DOWN Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright is urging homeowners who wish to avail of grants to install renewable energy in their homes to send in their application forms as the deadline for the grants is 31st March.
He said “From the time people this newspaper is published, local people will have less than a week to send in their application forms for the Reconnect grant scheme which offers up to 50% of the cost of installing renewable energy in your home”.
Cllr Enright has previously highlighted the effect the ending of the grants will have in the local economy as they are being cut off at the end of the month. A large number of local businesses have grown to support the growth in interest in renewables and Cllr Enright highlighted that no scheme is proposed to replace it leaving over 100 local jobs exposed.
“The grants are not only helping homeowners to reduce their energy bills, they are boosting the local economy and helping the environment. They have already proven to be a great success, with the target number of 4000 installations in NI being likely. I have already submitted my application and have urged my colleagues in the Chamber to do the same.”
At the last meeting of the Council, Tuesday 18th, Cllr Enright succeeded in having a unanimous motion passed in relation to renewable energy, which urged ‘joined-up thinking’ by the Executive departments in relation to clean heating and power.
The motion resolved to write to First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, as well as to Minister Dodds and the Green Party’s Minister for Energy in Dublin, urging them all to develop a ‘joined-up’ energy policy to ensure NI is meeting its share of international commitments and ask what steps the Executive are taking to tackle climate change.
Green Cllr Cadogan Enright explained “We in Down District Council are taking the lead in calling for this approach to renewable energy, which has a long term impact on energy security, our carbon footprint and the competitiveness of the all-island economy and will severely affect the capacity of the building and energy industries in NI to manage country’s move to zero-carbon by 2016
“Everyone is aware of the rising cost of oil and the effect this is having on heating, transport and electricity costs and we have the potential in County Down to produce, manufacture and install our own energy sources. That is why I am urging all homeowners who have completed their application forms for the Reconnect grant to send them in immediately”, he concluded.
Press Cuttings: Grant deadline, Mourne Observer, Grants deadline, Down Democrat
Cadogan Enright, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
DOWN Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright has raised concerns about the latest plans to give councils the power to issue £100 to those householders who don’t abide by the waste collection arrangements.
The plans, unveiled by Environment Minister Arlene Foster last week, would involve councils issuing fines to those people who disregard the guidelines on waste collection, such as contamination of blue recycling bins.
Councils can already issue notices setting out when and how waste should be left out for collection. Offenders can be prosecuted through the courts, with a maximum fine of £1,000. However, from 7 April councils will be able to issue fixed penalty notices of £100 for low level waste receptacle offences, such as putting the wrong materials in recycling bins.
Cllr Enright said “There has been quite a lot of coverage recently of the problems councils and householders face over the contamination of blue bins. However, I do not think that the threat of a fine is helpful in encouraging people to recycle.
“The eagerness of householders to use their blue bins and recycle their waste must be welcomed and, if anything, the council does not provide the opportunity to recycle enough materials through bin collection. For example, yoghurt pots cannot be placed in the bins, so it isn’t correct that people who are honestly trying to recycle materials which should be recycled are being punished.
Furthermore, the loss of the inter-church recycling scheme in Newcastle means more recyclable materials will end up in landfill. The Council needs to be encouraging people to recycle and facilitating those who do, rather than strictly enforcing collection arrangements. The amount and types of materials which can be recycled should be increased.”
However, I would of course urge all householders to be vigilant in using their bins and to ensure that deliberate contamination does not occur, or that other people do not use recycling bins to dispose of rubbish. The fines announced by Arlene Foster are discretionary so I would urge Down District Council to only use them for serious offences. This way, the Council can continue its very useful collection service and recycling residents are not at risk of prosecution.
Press Cuttings: Enright Urges increase in recycling
turbine recorder, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
turbine observer, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
turbine democrat, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
PERIWINKLES DEMOCRAT, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.
