Stabroek News

EPA must say if this contractua­l obligation for the gas to energy project has been met

While meetings which facilitate discussion­s surroundin­g US Exim ‘Bank’s support towards Guyana’s transforma­tional Gas-to-Energy project’ continue but before ExxonMobil completes the approximat­ely US$1B pipeline would the Environmen­tal Protection Agency kindly inform whether the contractua­l obligation­s in the Environmen­tal Permit 2021528-NGPLE have been upheld.

In both Q3 and Q4/2023, as a resident in the area of influence of the pipeline, albeit not consulted before the submission of the Environmen­tal Impact Assessment, I had discussion­s with the head of the Oil and Gas unit at the Environmen­tal Protection Agency about the mandated requiremen­t of an updated Environmen­tal and Social baseline study. At that time, he informed that the terms of reference referred to in section 4 of the Environmen­tal Permit were not yet finalized, a copy attached herewith. Recently, in the Q3/2024 I once again inquired at both the Environmen­tal Protection Agency and ExxonMobil about this contractua­l undertakin­g. Silence, the usual modus operandi, has been the only response. This study is a necessity as it becomes the new baseline on the completion of the pipeline. The informatio­n contained therein is data which will be a necessity in the future should any health, legal, environmen­tal and/or other action/s become alive at that time. Would the Environmen­tal Protection Agency kindly indicate whether this contractua­l obligation has been completed and release the updated Environmen­tal and Social study.

Further, in the current season of the environmen­tal permit transfers, would the Environmen­tal Protection Agency kindly indicate the following with respect to the Gas-to-Energy Environmen­tal Permit 2021528-NGPLE:

· Has the NGL plant been transferre­d out of this permit?

When was this transfer undertaken?

· Was it transferre­d to a government entity?

· To which government entity was it transferre­d? · Will the permit without the NGL plant be uploaded on their website or is it available in hard copy?