Petition: Exert Welsh interests and defend international law against EdF-Hinkley fish-kill in Severn Estuary
We call on the Welsh Government to urgently approach Westminster’s George Eustice over England’s regulators blatantly disregarding the ‘no harm principle’ in relation to the Marine Protected Area (MPA) status of the Severn Estuary. This relates to permitting the dumping of Hinkley sediments and solid materials into the Severn and continuing the licence for Hinkley’s seawater cooling system which kills fish and juveniles on a massive scale with significant ecological damage.
Stewardship of the Severn MPA is shared between Welsh and English authorities so the Welsh Gov. needs to press England’s regulators to comply. The MPA was jointly-designated in 2018 under the international OSPAR Commission. The Welsh National Marine Plan (NMP) prevents harm to fish and further dumping of capital dredging’s on the Welsh side of the Estuary.
The Hinkley report to Wales’ First Minister said Hinkley Point C power station should use a land-based cooling system.
● We call on the Welsh Government to follow this expert advice and challenge George Eustice to instruct England’s regulators to uphold the MPA status of the Severn Estuary and adhere to jointly agreed policies on protection and management of activities in the MPA.
● These common policies should develop and include the no-harm principle as in the Welsh NMP, which would include no waste dumping and ending the Hinkley cooling water intake that is estimated to kill ½ million fish each day of its 60yr life.
