4 Main Issues

1. 4 Main Issues • Economics Of The Project • Pollutants • The Environment • Government Policy Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

2. Economic Advantages • 300 + jobs created during the working period of the mine • Service industry boom as new workers use the area’s facilities • Millions of £’s of investment, some of which will cascade into the local economy • Local contractors benefit from increased business opportunity • Cheap Electricity in the Ballymoney area Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

3. Economic Disadvantages • Many of the jobs will be taken from AuIron/Ballymoney Power’s own specialist teams • Lost tourist revenue • Drop In House Prices Around The Area • Drop In Intake to local schools due to fears of pollution • Most Of The Work Will Only Be During The Construction Stages • Loss Of Farmland Produce • Cost Of Relocating the inhabitants of the mining area Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

4. Long Term Affects On The Community • Ballymoney could be vacated due to pollution/noise etc. making it economically unviable to run commercial ventures in the town. • Loss of Ballymoney itself? • Discovery of “Best Quality” lignite reserves under Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

5. TheEnvironment Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

6. Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

7. Energy comparison One tonne of coal Five tonnes of Lignite = Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Contains The Same Useable Energy Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

8. Ozone Layer Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

9. Global Warming • Caused by increased CO2 trapping heat within the atmosphere • Serious consequences - melting of polar ice caps, which could cause major world flooding Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

10. 4 Main Pollutants • Carbon Dioxide (CO2) (1 ton Lignite Burned = 1 ton CO2) • Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) • Nitrogen Oxides (NO, NOx) • Particulate Matter (PM10) / Dust Unforeseeable Affects? Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Carbon Dioxide Sulphur Dioxide Nitrogen Oxides There are minimal human health risks associated with low levels of these pollutants High levels are currently not expected from the mine Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

11. Traffic • Congestion, accidents and interference with farmers • Damage to roads and verges • Spilled and dropped material causes a hazard and spreads dust • Visual intrusion, air pollution, dust and noise • Intimidation by large vehicles Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Blasting • Some vibrations • Noise • Fly rock • Dust • Fumes Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

12. Noise • Distracting and annoying • Masks desirable noises • Disturbance to sleep • Disturbance caused to farm animals Dust • Reduced visibility • Coating and soiling of surfaces • Forced to clean more often • Physical/chemical contamination • Mechanical/electrical faults • Abrasion of moving parts • Coating of vegetation • Contamination of soils • Increased illness in livestock • Higher costs to maintain animal and crop health and yields • Contamination of watercourses Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

13. Relocation • Many local inhabitants to be moved • Remuneration only covers a small area around the mine • Great psychological stress, in the Rhineland has driven some to suicide!! Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

14. Plants now Plants in increased CO2– Stronger and healthier Increased CO2 Theory Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

15. Increased CO2 Actuality • CO2 above a certain level breaks down chlorophyll - essential to photosynthesis • Less photosynthesis means smaller and weaker plants • This causes problems in arable farming; such as reduced crop yield Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

16. Other Effects • Effects on the water table very complex to measure, even more complex to predict. • In Rhineland, Germany, • meadows dried up • the land sustained permanent damage • springs ran dry • quality drinking water destroyed • Dries up fields, preventing growth of some crops • Could drain the Garry bog? Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

17. Loss of Habitat Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

18. After the Mine • Hundreds of plants and animals gone • Thousands of years of ecological development destroyed in about thirty years • It will take decades for the area to begin to recover again • Can we really afford to make the same mistakes as they made in Germany? Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

19. GovernmentPolicy Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

20. The Energy Order The Energy Order for the Energy Bill is supposed “… to stipulate the generation and consumption of renewable electricity by enabling the creation of a renewables obligation” Ian Pearson, MP, Northern Ireland Office minister with responsibility for Enterprise, Trade and Investments Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Revised Planning policy statement - “Industry, Business and Distribution” produced by DOE Planning Service “The Government is determined to secure a competitive economy for Northern Ireland… and promote economic growth and job creation in ways compatible with environmental objectives… in ways consistent with the protection of the environment.” Angela Smith, Parliamentary under- secretary of state Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

21. Health Affects “The link between clean air and good health is well known. By reducing levels of air pollution we can reduce levels of illness and premature death… Clean air is essential to all our health and well being . Government surveys indicate that air quality is an important headline quality of life issue for people and the most important of the environmental issues.” Angela Smith, Parliamentary under- secretary of state Riada Research Team Dalriada School, Ballymoney Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney

22. Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney Project Supervisor:Mrs Denise Gault Project Co-ordinator:Stephen McCaw Project Researchers:Anne Richmond, David Park, Stephen McCaw Presentation Team:Andrew Bolster, Grace McAlister, John Richmond, Jonathan Graham Riada Research TeamDalriada School, Ballymoney