Mayo campaigners to join march for robust wind farm regulations
ON Tuesday, May 21, CEPA (Communities and Environmental Protection Alliance) will hold a march to the offices of Dáil Éireann for robust wind farm regulations.
The aim of the march is to demand robust regulations governing the planning and operation of onshore wind farms in Ireland.
The march will begin from the Garden of Remembrance at 1 p.m., aiming to be in front of Dáil Éireann by 2 p.m.
Among the groups who will be joining the march is the north Mayo based Erris Action Group Against Wind Farms, who are part of the CEPA group.
CEPA are a voluntary group representing communities all over Ireland that are directly impacted by wind energy developments. Their core focus lies in advocating for environmental regulation policies, in the interests of safeguarding public health and wellbeing, and preserving environmental integrity.
There are currently over 41 wind farm action groups in the alliance, covering 20 counties, from Donegal down to Cork. No matter what the location, the concerns are the same - large industrial scale wind turbines up to 220m in height that are ‘too big, too close, and too loud’ for the nearby homes, schools, and communities, and in environmentally valuable land, including biodiverse peatlands. Turbines are too loud and under current guidelines, neighbours are not getting a night’s sleep (high court ruling March 8). No regulator and no statutory noise regulation exists.
This leaves those communities in the position of having to take on exhaustive campaigns and expensive legal cases in order to protect themselves.
Robust and equitable regulations would ensure benefits for all stakeholders involved in Ireland’s energy sector, say CEPA. Communities and natural habitats would be safeguarded, and there would be clear certainty in the planning and development of energy projects.
CEPA say that the Planning and Wind Energy guidelines published in 2004 are now outdated and have been outstripped by both the technological advances in turbines, and the evolution of Ireland’s climate and energy objectives. In addition to that, the 2006 guidelines did not have a Strategic Impact Assessment (SEA) carried out. An SEA is a fundamental requirement to ensure full compliance with EU law.
CEPA launched a six-week campaign leading up to the march on May 21 earlier this month. This include a campaign video to be shared on social media, an online petition, and letters to county councillors, TDs, and MEPs outlining the inadequacies of current regulations and guidelines.
For more information, see https://www.cepa.ie/.