Shell due to start work next week

mayo | environment | news report Friday June 25, 2010 20:19 by Stop Shell rossportsolidaritycamp at gmail dot com 0851141170

Things are getting very busy here - after a peaceful June Gathering the camp is once more set to become a focal point for resisting Shell pipeline work. Shell are due in the estuary any day now to drill 80 boreholes - pipeline survey work that should take all summer. Yesterday we shut down the Shell office in Belmullet. Today Maura Harrington was jailed for non payment of fines. Niall and Pat are still in jail. Generally it seems that lots of people are wising up to the oil industry in the wake of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico....

Protest at Mountjoy - Maura Harrington jailed today!
Maura Harrington, a local Shell to Sea campaigner has been arrested on her way home from a funeral in Mayo and is being brought to prison for refusing to pay fines relating to 'offences' while protesting against Shell's experimental raw gas pipeline and inland refinery. This comes just as Shell are about to start work again - more political policing.
She is due to arrive at the prison between 19:30 - 20:30
So come along, bring friends and make plenty of noise to show Maura your support and solidarity. Unsure of duration of sentence - possibly 4 days.

Please write to Pat & Niall - political prisoners
As a lot of you are aware Pat O'Donnell and Niall Harnett are currently in Castlerea Prison for convictions arising from protests against the Corrib Gas project. You can read more on Pat's jailing here: http://www.shelltosea.com/content/shell-corrib-gas-who-...llies or more on Niall's jailing here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96547

Please also 'Like' the 'Support Shell to Sea prisoners of conscience' page on Facebook (if you're on it): http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Support-Shell-to-Sea-prisoners-of-conscience/112831115416555?ref=ts and Pat's page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pat-ODonnell/313999028104?ref=ts

Letters to Pat and Niall greatly appreciated -
Pat O Donnell / Niall Harnett,
Castlerea Prison,
Harristown,
Castlerea,
Co Roscommon,

Or alternatively email [email protected] with your best wishes.

Roof Occupation Protest at Shell's Belmullet Offices
Campaigners hung a banner reading “Energy shouldn't cost the earth” from the roof of Shell offices in Belmullet on Thursday morning at 8am. This protest connected the environmental disaster suffered by the fishing community & people of Louisiana with the threat faced by the fishing community and people of Erris. In particular the protest was in solidarity with Pat O'Donnell who has been jailed for his courageous defense of the seas and his livelihood.
The protest blocked the entrance to the offices preventing Shell workers from entering that day!

Press Release and photos here: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97054

Foreshore License Granted - Borehole Drilling Imminent
Yesterday Shell circulated a letter giving notice that the borehole drilling would commence "in the coming days".
Recently Shell got the sign-off from “Green” Minister John Gormley on plans to bore 80 bore-holes in Sruwaddacon bay. Once again the community and camp will be opposing the Shell work both on land and at sea. Water-action training is ongoing. It will be a summer long job if they get started, so support up here would be great whenever possible. Now would be a good time to come.

An Bord Pleanala to re-open submissions on pipeline
An Bord Pleanala have indicated that they will re-open submissions on Wednesday on Shell's application to build the 9km on-shore Corrib Gas pipeline. There will be only a four week window for submissions, closing on July 28th. The new updated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) should be out in Mayo County Council offices, and Shell Offices from Wednesday also. It is important to get as many submissions against it as possible, to try to force another oral hearing. There should be ads in the papers this week calling for submissions. We'll update again on this soon to co-ordinate a big response.

There have already been contractors around doing initial surveys for the contract to construct the 5km tunnel under the estuary - one candidate company is called ICOP from Italy. Pressure on them would be no harm.

Here is their website: http://www.icop.it/tool/home.php
And address:
I.CO.P. S.p.A.
via Silvio Pellico 2
33031 Basiliano UD,
Italy

And contacts: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

T. +39 0432-838611
F. +39 0432-838681

Shell Apply for Compulsory Acquisition Orders
Shell have applied to An Bord Pleanala for the CAOS they would need to build the onshore pipeline. We have until July 28th to make submissions on these also. An Bord Pleanala are treating these separately to the application to build the pipeline. Again, we'll update again on this soon to co-ordinate a big response.

Offshore work in Broadhaven Bay Postponed
The massive concrete & rock laying operation on the offshore pipeline is now postponed for a year. This could be due to uncertainty of getting a pipe up the estuary at all but is more likely so they can focus on the borehole drilling work in the estuary.

June Bank Holiday gathering review
The annual gathering went off really well with a bumper attendance. Massive thanks to all the people who came. Everyone seemed to get stuck in organising and working which is hugely appreciated by the people normally at the camp. Huge thanks also to Lawrence and JP for letting us use the field, and countless local people for help setting up, lending shovels for the pipe dig at Glengad beach, running workshops and so on.
Click here for a gathering review: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96911

Merthyr to Mayo Bike Ride review
The bike ride was a great success and stirred up support for the campaign all along the route along the South and up the West of Ireland. It made a big impact locally and was an inspiration for us at the camp. It as also great to have the portable sound system at the digging for the pipe action on Glengad beach
This is a link to the last installment of the bike ride blog : http://www.merthyrtomayo.org/2010/06/08/
Fair play the cyclists and everyone who hosted and helped along the way - come back soon!

"The Pipe" Premiers at Galway film Fleadh
Richie O'Donnell's documentary on the Corrib Gas Controvery follows three high profile campaigners. Includes footage of fisherman Pat O'Donnell facing down the Solitaire pipelaying ship & Irish Navy in Broadhaven Bay while protecting his livelihood.
Link to Galway Film Fleadh website Listings: http://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/pr_2010.html

Rossport Solidarity Camp Wishlist
You might have something lying around that you don't want or need anymore.
At the moment we could use:

* Wheelie bins, plastic barrels, pallets (will probably find locally)
* Working Rechargeable Power tools
* Boats and outboard motors of any size or make: Power boats, sail boats, rigid sea kayaks would be especially useful as they can't be punctured or sunk too easily
* Bandsaw
* PV panels, inverters, batteries
* Trailer that a Ford Transit could tow. Something like a horse trailer and fairly weather proof would be ideal to transport bikes.

The Rossport Solidarity Camp at Glengad - across the estuary from Rossport - is open for visitors to learn about the campaign and help work with the local community against the Corrib Gas Project. We are always balancing campaign work with practical maintenance of the camp, house, office, vehicles and garden. If you are interested in any of the above please come and visit us!
Directions available here: http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org/directions

To arrange a visit email [email protected] and/or ring 085 1141170