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Portland palm oil protest: 400 protesters on march (From Thisisdorset)
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Portland palm oil protest: 400 protesters on march
11:00am Monday 1st March 2010
AROUND 400 protesters marched on Portland to vent their fury at plans for a new power plant.
Families from the island were joined by climate change campaigners from around the country to voice their anger at the proposed new biofuel plant on the island.
“We don’t want a power plant, come and join us, sing our chant,” was the song ringing out through Fortuneswell to the sound of drums.
The traffic was stopped by police as the crowd made its way from Portland Heights to Portland Port.
W4B Renewable Energy has been given the go-ahead by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to build the multi-million pound palm oil power plant at the port.
But the marchers are hoping to persuade the Government to overturn the decision after Bristol City Council voted against W4B having a plant in Avonmouth.
Ros Kayes, the Liberal Democrat’s prospective parliamentary candidate for South Dorset, said the size of the crowd showed the strong feeling of residents.
She added: “We’ve written to the Secretary of State for Communities John Denham.
“He has the power to revoke this decision if it’s in the national interests and it’s a nationally and globally important issue.”
At the end of the march outside the locked gates to the port campaigners took it in turns to address the crowd.
Weymouth resident Ruth Neary told them the plant should be stopped as she claimed the fumes created could cause cancer and birth defects.
Portland town councillor Richard Denton-White said the power plant should be stopped ‘whatever it takes’.
He said: “W4B said there were going to be five people here. It’s more like 500,” he said.
Fortuneswell resident Carolyn Colmer, 48, is concerned that her nine-year-old daughter Jade’s school, Underhill Junior School, will look out onto the plant in Balaclava Bay.
She said: “I hope the huge support has some effect.”
Fortuneswell shoppers stopped in their tracks and some joined the walk, while drivers honked their horns.
The group No Oil Palm Energy (Nope) distributed leaflets stating that the burning of 30,000 tonnes of palm oil each year to produce electricity could affect health, and the creation of the oil will come at the expense of Indonesian rainforests.
Among the campaigners visiting Dorset was Zenith Milner from London, dressed as an orangutan – an endangered species.
She said: “The turnout shows the strength of opposition against this catastrophic proposal. It’s vital the decision is overturned for the good of local people and the rainforests, including its tribal people and endangered animals.”
Brian Heatley, the Green Party parliamentary candidate for South Dorset, called on the crowd to write to South Dorset MP Jim Knight to use his influence in Government.
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Your Say YourDorset
portland6, Portland says...
1:02pm Mon 1 Mar 10
Good to see so many out protesting on Saturday. Interesting that the spokes-people commenting that the Palm Oil plant wa sustainable were completely invisible and unnamed in all media...
ThisisWeymouth, says...
1:25pm Mon 1 Mar 10
worldwide, Portland says...
2:47pm Mon 1 Mar 10
Stoneman, Portland says...
4:07pm Mon 1 Mar 10
worldwide wrote:Well mate if like me you have followed the Rape & Destruction of The Officers Filed you would know that after these monsterous buildings have been completed ther will be NO ROOM for anything on the site. They haven't even left enuough room for changing rooms for the football pitch. Also I agree with you about Balaclava Bay one would need a very long neck to see the plant from anywhere in Underhill unless you were stood near it. But you see what happens when the Idiots in charge over in Big House inThe Muff get their grubby, dirty little hands on a piece of Portland. They and SWERDA are no more than land grabbing lying pirates
Don,t Quote me on this but the school is being built on the officers field next to the small wooden houses being built , no where near balaclava bay.
Scolopax, Wyke Regis says...
8:21pm Mon 1 Mar 10
juscarolyn, fortuneswell says...
10:59pm Mon 1 Mar 10
ThisisWeymouth wrote:I have been quoted as saying this and it is misquoted nonsense! Asked by a reporter what I thought about the turnout, I said that it was fantastic with high spirits and that hopefully it would carry some clout where needed. Conversation got on to the opposed housing at officers field and I voiced some concern about the relocation of Underhill Juniors to its proposed site near there next year, and that aside from being on what I feel is a site that could flood in the future, will position it closer to the plant and possible health threat from fumes. Whether the school stays or moves, it will not overlook Balaclava Bay! Never said it would!?? I do hope this plant fails to go ahead. I think many people are unaware of what this plant will be like, and about whole Palm Oil industry as a controversial energy source. The campaign against it will continue and more and more people will join it along the way, I'm certain of that.
How does Underhill Junior School manage to look out over Balaclava Bay?"
weymouth1, weymouth says...
10:24am Tue 2 Mar 10
Bean16, says...
11:02am Tue 2 Mar 10
WPBC should call their bluff, but they're grovelling cowards.
The also-spineless PP would back down.
dunketh, Portland says...
12:37pm Tue 2 Mar 10
Now thats what I call sustainability.
It would be funny if it weren't being seriously considered.
greenglasses, wyke regis says...
1:25pm Tue 2 Mar 10
Genghis, Portland says...
2:09pm Tue 2 Mar 10
dunketh wrote:Indeed but not to worry because the damage and pollution won't be here. It'll be half way round the world and not in Portland Port's back yard. Come on PP admit you've made a mistake on this one.
Destroying hectares of irreplaceable rain forest to grow trees whose fruit are then transported thousands of miles (one assumes using fossil-fuel powered transport) for processing into 'bio'fuel.
Now thats what I call sustainability.
It would be funny if it weren't being seriously considered.
Bean16, says...
11:23pm Tue 2 Mar 10
PoetPeter, Sutton Poyntz says...
10:55am Thu 4 Mar 10
juscarolyn, fortuneswell says...
2:20pm Thu 4 Mar 10
PoetPeter wrote:So you must be in favour then Peter. I also like the idea of new business and new jobs and until I looked into it, I almost had a similar view...but not at any cost. I also like the sound of "new and innovative." So that's biofuels then? And "green energy" ? Enlighten me? Energy is a problem. Have we choices? Chimneys (and no rainforests) Or say windmills? I know what I'd prefer. Shame no government backing for the now closed Isle of Wight wind turbine factory. How about a government/council, that gives ALL the facts (including considered opinions from qualified environmentalists across the globe) and then ASKS the people? Perhaps that's "fantasist."
If I was an entrepreneur trying to set up a business generating green energy and I followed all the government guidelines and best scientific advice and then I was villified and attacked by ill informed NIMBYs, accused of just about everything short of child rape, well I think I'd just give up and go elsewhere. You are moaners, whingers, amateur environmentalists, fantasists, trouble makers. Anything new or innovative - just say no to it, protest, complain, just say no to everything. Don't do anything positive, just try and get in the way when anyone else does.
PoetPeter, Sutton Poyntz says...
3:11pm Thu 4 Mar 10
juscarolyn, fortuneswell says...
11:01am Fri 5 Mar 10
chesilgirl, Weymouth says...
6:52pm Mon 29 Mar 10
A reply was received which includes this quote: "When we commenced our planning process over 12 months ago, we were not in a position to rule out the use of palm oil, however we have always maintained that we will only source certified, sustainable vegetable oils. We have been continuingly investigating alternative sources of liquid biomass.
We have recently received an offer of up to 150,000 tonnes of non-edible vegetable oils from Brazil by 2013. Jatropha will make up a significant proportion of this along with other non-edible oils. This oil will be a certified, sustainable vegetable oil that fully complies with Ofgem and EU regulations."
I have since learnt that Jatropha is successfully in use as a biofuel around the world already. It will be grown on over-grazed land in Brazil which is virtually useless for growing anything else. In my opinion, it appears to be a good solution for all parties concerned.
juscarolyn, fortuneswell says...
9:58am Tue 30 Mar 10
PoetPeter, Sutton Poyntz says...
10:40am Tue 30 Mar 10
Portland power plant protesters
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ThisisWeymouth, says...
12:55pm Mon 1 Mar 10