Coal boss Mark Kirkbride is the Government Advisor on investigation techniques for a deep nuclear dump – this includes advice on for example…seismic testing and how to avoid scrutiny
A report condemning Nuclear Waste Services plan for seismic blasting has been funded entirely by contributions from the public and written by renowned marine expert Tim Deere-Jones. The threat to the supposedly “protected” Marine Conservation Zones including Walney where dolphins are often seen has been “scoped out” of the Nuclear Waste Services application for a Marine and European Protected Species licence “exemption” application. Nuclear Waste Services have sought to circumvent the normal processes of regulatory control in order to steam ahead with their plans.
A petition of now nearly 45,000 signatures has been handed to the Marine Management Organisation asking that no approval takes place for the plan which is seeking to ‘test the rocks’ beneath the Irish Sea in order to facilitate a deep nuclear…
Mark Kirkbride Joins the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management – 2019
Listening to the talking heads on BBC going on about the coal mine and deliberately avoiding the elephant in the room has prompted this petition calling for the sacking of the Coal boss from his role as “invaluable” Government advisor for the Nuclear Dump plans.
Government is due to make a decision on whether or not the Cumbria Coal Mine should go ahead. This would be the first deep coal mine in over 30 years. This area of the Irish Sea includes Marine Conservation Zones and other protections
The CEO of the proposed “Woodhouse Colliery” is Mark Kirkbride.
In 2019 Mark Kirkbride was appointed to the Government Committee on Radioactive Waste Management.
Kirkbride’s “invaluable” role in that Committee involves: “scrutiny and provision of advice to BEIS (Dept of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy) and RWM (Radioactive Waste Management) on activities relating to the continued development of a GDF safety case scrutiny and provision of advice to BEIS and RWM on GDF siting activities, including selection criteria, methods of investigation, and the timescale for carrying out site selection in the three rock types advise on new technologies that could be applicable to the development of a GDF including those in the mining and construction sectors and their potential impacts on a GDF programme”
Mark Kirkbride has recently provided costings to Government for the Delivery of a GDF (Nuclear Dump) including advice on enormous Tunnel Boring Machines from the same company (Herrenknecht) which would supply his coal mine. This is a direct conflict of interest.
Mark Kirkbride has clearly advised on the seismic blasting due to take place in July/August in the Irish Sea to “investigate” the complex geology for a deep nuclear dump. The enormous area of the Irish Sea in which the hugely damaging seismic testing would take place overlaps Kirkbride’s proposed coal mine.
We demand that Mark KIrkbride’s appointment to CoRWM is terminated. It is clear that the Government cannot take an objective decision on the Cumbrian coal mine while the CEO of said coal mine is employed by Government as an “invaluable” advisor to Delivery of a Geological Disposal Facility (Nuclear Dump). That advice has included seismic testing of the Irish Sea due to start any day. The Cumbrian Coal Mine and the Nuclear Dump Plan are Hand in Hand while Mark Kirkbride Remains as Advisor to Government. This is the dark heart of cronyism and it must stop.
We demand that Mark Kirkbride’s appointment to CoRWM is terminated
We demand that the Cronyism between Mark Kirkbride’s Coal interests and the Nuclear dump plans are investigated by an Independent Inquiry.
We demand a Moratorium on the Nuclear Dump (GDF) Plans
A Hyper-Real Beached Whale has been “washed up” at Whitehaven Harbour.
The aim of the art installation is to generate debate about man-made impacts on marine-life.
The most serious threat to the marine life of the Irish Sea is the plan to emplace the UKs (and much of the worlds) very hot nuclear wastes deep beneath the Irish Sea bed. This would literally heat up the seabed and the sea, while polluting the Irish Sea with ever more radioactive wastes. The planned seismic testing this summer is the first step in this plan. The seismic testing itself would deafen and damage marine wildlife from minke whales to plankton.
The art installation will be at Whitehaven until Saturday.
The following comment has been put on yesterday’s Channel 4 News Item on YouTube ….and appears to have been removed by Channel 4 – why ? As an experiment please could readers put a comment on the Ch4 YouTube article below pointing out that the Coal Boss Mark Kirkbride is advising government on mass void removal under the Irish Sea for a Geological Disposal Facility aka a deep nuclear dump. Lets see if any comments on this will be ‘allowed’.
“The Steel Industry does not need Cumbrian Coal – BUT – the Nuclear Industry sure as hell does! The first to oppose the coal mine were nuclear safety campaigners who advised back in 2017 that the coal was high ash and high sulphur ie not attractive to steel makers. The Coal Mine CEO has been employed by Government to advise the Nuclear Industry on the digging of big holes for heat generating nuclear wastes. The area in the frame for a deep nuclear dump happens to overlap the area of the coal mine called Offshore Area No 2 – ie the area nearest Sellafield which has largely no known coal resource . The latest is that the Irish Sea will be seismically tested for a deep nuclear dump this July – the coal mine Offshore Area No 2 is in the area being tested…no UK media has reported on this nuclear cronyism or the seismic testing due to start in July. The reporting on the coal mine has been facile with the original nuclear safety campaigners voices being drowned out in order to create a protective shield over the nuclear industry’s vested interests. https://www.change.org/p/save-the-whale-and-the-snail-stop-nuclear-waste-services-blasting-the-irish-sea
This July the Irish Sea will be airgun blasted courtesy of Nuclear Waste Services and the euphemistically named “Community Partnerships”of South and Mid-Copland. Unless, that is, we can stop it. The actual community has had no vote or say on the matter. There is no justification for this invasive airgun blasting to survey sub-sea geology for a deep nuclear dump. Massive nuclear vaults under the Irish Sea would never be able to be monitored properly for radioactive leaks because of the damage the nuclear industry has already done and continues to do to the Irish Sea with release of liquid and solid radioactive particle discharge.
The Irish Sea Marine wildlife from Minke Whales to Winkles needs to have space and time to recover and not be violated further by the nuclear industry. Seismic testing involves airgun blasting which would take place every 5 or 10 seconds, 24 hours…
We have written to Cumbria Wildlife Trust asking them to cancel the “Sea-Coastal Foraging Evening” at St Bees on 18th May. Who doesn’t love to forage for food on the beach? The problem with beaches near Sellafield (and not so near) is that radioactive particles are routinely washed onto the beaches and into the abundant wild food found on our beaches. Sellafield has blighted our coasts and continues to do so with impunity thanks to the criminal nonchalance promoted by events like the one organised by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The risk to health is very real, especially to the young and the pregnant.
These are the European Protected Species in the Firing Line of Airgun Blasting to Test the Geology for a Heat Generating Sub-Sea Nuclear Dump: Common Dolphin, Sea Turtles, Bottlenose Dolphin, Minke Whale. Other species not protected include everthing down to plankton all of which would be damaged by this plan.
This will happen unless we stop it. We are URGENTLY fundraising for an expert report to challenge this unjustifiable and dangerous plan by Nuclear Waste Services – please support the fundraiser – even a few £££s will go a long way and everything donated will go towards funding the report. Just Click on Any of the Beautiful Marine Creatures Below To Go To Our Fundraiser
This project will only be funded if at least £750 is pledgedby 5th June 2022 at 4:15pm
Raising funds to commission expert reports into the impacts of airgun blasting on marine life in the Irish Sea.
Seismic testing will begin this summer in the Irish Sea …
….unless we can stop it. That is why we want to commission an expert and independent report into the impacts of seismic testing on marine life in the Irish Sea and deliver the report to the UK authorities responsible for this plan….
THE PLAN: A ship in the Irish Sea will fire blasts…
Documents obtained for the seismic survey show that is is “Exempt” from a Marine Management Organisation licence – if the airgun blasting was for oil or gas it would require a licence but hey – its for a Deep Subsea Nuclear Dump which overlaps the Coal Mine Whose Boss is advising Government on the Nuclear Dump – so all it requires is a rubber stamp…
The documents below obtained by Lakes Against Nuclear Dump show that the nuclear waste plan for the Irish Sea overlaps the coal mine licence area. The coal mine boss Mark Kirkbride of West Cumbria Mining is advising Goverment on the Nuclear Dump plan and no doubt recommended the seismic survey.
The video relates to the Wild Coast of South Africa and Shell’s employment of Shearwater GeoServices, the same multi-national company employed by Nuclear Waste Services to airgun blast the Irish Sea to test it out for a deep hot nuclear dump. Here in Cumbria do we value the Irish Sea less than South Africans value their Wild Coast? Do we????? Or is it because this Seismic Testing is for a “Community Partnership” (Yeah right!!!) Sub-Sea Nuclear Waste Dump that it is ok to be rubber stamped by all the complicit regulators who are working for UK Government ?? What do…
“Hurrah! The High Court says the Legal Challenge against the coal mine can go ahead”
Irish Sea Plan in 100 years time Emplacement of HOT Nuclear Waste
“It doesn’t matter about the quality of the coal. We want to embed deep mining for a Nuclear Dump”
May 2020
Headline News
“West Cumbria Mining will now include low quality middlings coal by processing it into coking coal. There will be a NEW planning application for this NEW development”
“Huh- they have made our legal challenge redundant as it was (a challenge) to the original plan. And they (West Cumbria Mining) have the cheek to demand £30,000 of me for delaying their plan. Luckily the Judge threw their claim out. Still NO word in the press or by NGOs that the coal boss is advising Government on deep nuclear dump plans.”
Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole 