Green Surf rejects EIA on Sabah coal power plant

The Star 11 Jul 10;

KOTA KINABALU: Conserva­tionists have rejected a Detailed Environmental Impact Assess­ment (DEIA) report on the controversial Lahad Datu coal-powered energy plant.

Sabah Environmental Protec­tion Association president Wong Tack slammed the report, saying it was “shoddy” with poor in-depth studies carried out on the long-term effects of the proposed 300MW coal-powered plant, planned to be built along the coast of the marine eco-sensitive Sulu Sulawesi triangle.

“It is done without professionalism and they used too many general statements on a very sensitive project,” he said yesterday.

The DEIA report by UKM Pakarunding Sdn Bhd has been on public display for a month since June 18 and, among other things, it stated that the project was not environmentally sensitive and adverse impact could be mitigated.

The report, however, admitted that the coal-powered plant would raise sea surface temperatures by 4°C in certain areas.

It also noted that the project was detrimental to nearby communities, who depend on fishing and seaweed farming, while some 70 families would be displaced by the power plant to be situated at Kg Sinakut about 100km from Lahad Datu.

Wong, whose organisation is standing together with other environmental groups calling themselves Green Surf, will meet Department of Environment (DOE) officials on July 27 to highlight anomalies in the report.

“We will impress upon the DOE that it should not approve the report just because they have to,” he said.

“We will protest,” he said, adding that they would put their written objections “point-by-point” before July 18.