BBC and Other Media Continue to IGNORE Nuclear Aspects of this Coal Mine

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Roger Harrabin the BBC’s Environment correspondent continues to studiously ignore the nuclear impacts and complicity of our pro nuclear government in the employment of two top executives (one former, one existing) of the coal mine to the public bodies pushing the plan for Geological Disposal of Nuclear Wastes in the UK. The same government department responsible for the Coal Authority, the Climate Change Committee and the Government bodies pushing for a deep nuclear waste dump have appointed top executives from West Cumbria Mining. But all Roger Harrabin the BBC’s top environment correspondent can harp on about is climate and jobs. The Government are very happy with that focus. Just don’t mention the NUCLEAR CRAPOLA!

The below is a letter to our MP Tim Farron asking for answers on some of the issues that our myopic BBC and other correspondents and NGOs SHOULD be asking. How long will the deafening silence continue ?

Dear Tim,

Thank you for continued opposition to the Cumbrian coal mine.  Our investigations found that West Cumbria Mining have applied to renew two lapsed licenses (the licenses were issued 8 years ago over the heads of the public and councillors) .  I just wanted to write and let you know that over two weeks ago we asked the Coal Authority the following and have as yet received no reply.

We asked:
We would like to have sight as soon as possible of

• A copy of WCM’s applications, and
• An opportunity to make submissions on the applications before a decision is made

We are very shocked that there appear to be no plans by BEIS/Coal Authority to hold a public consultation on this issue which is of national interest

We note that BEIS appoints the Committee on Climate Change AND has responsibility for the Coal Authority as well as CoRWM/RWM (Geological Disposal of nuclear wastes in the UK). CoRWM/RWM have appointed one existing and one former top executive from West Cumbria Mining .

I am sure you would agree the Coal Authority/BEIS should not be quietly rubber stamping renewal/extension of licenses for what is already the most controversial coal mine in  UK history – a coal mine with enormous nuclear implications which have been brushed aside by our pro nuclear government.  Parliament must hold government to account over this coal mine and a spotlight on the underhand issuing of renewed/extended licenses would be a good place to start.

With best wishes

Marianne
Keep Cumbrian Coal in the Hole  – a Radiation Free Lakeland campaign

https://keepcumbriancoalinthehole.wordpress.com/

https://www.lakesagainstnucleardump.com/

Todays BBC Podcast about the “Carbon Neutral” Coal Mine

This BBC podcast today makes some good points but leaves much out. It is a far cry from 2018 when  we made a complaint to the BBC about their promotion of the mine as a ‘good thing’ on the 27th Dec 2018 Radio 4 PM program….Following that program in 2018 green minded folk told us they felt “reassured” that the mine was environmentally sound.     The program today was much more critical of the plan. However, no mention of the legal challenge or the close proximity to Sellafield.

Listen here from 16.00

 

 

 

Old King ‘Coal’ and BBC’s Jackanory

The BBC have sent a letter back in response to our complaint about the West Cumbria Mine coverage on 27th Dec Radio 4’s PM.

Dear Ms Birkby

Thanks for contacting us about the PM item on Woodhouse Colliery from December 27.

We raised your concerns with the programme team. They explained that the piece looked mainly at the socio-economic impact of the mining community, as it could be the first new coal mine in the UK for 30 years.

However, it also tackled some well-known environmental concerns about the coal industry. We challenged Caroline Leatherdale, the firm’s Environmental Advisor: “We are talking about burning large amounts of fossil fuels and there will be those that will be against this. We all know what the issues are with reaching CO2 targets.”

She offered the position that the mine wasn’t producing “thermal coal” as its product. Instead, the coking coal’s limited use in steel production would in turn benefit the environment through wind turbine production, public transport infrastructure. Again, she was challenged – “It’s still CO2 emissions, isn’t it?”. Listeners then heard further details of the firm’s attempts to offset its carbon output. As such, we feel the item considered criticisms of the colliery and the environmental factors at play.

We’ve also included other reports about environmental matters on PM, but realise you felt this angle should have been reflected in more depth here. That’s not compulsory on each and every report, but we welcome feedback when it’s felt something has been overlooked.

Your reaction was shared with the Editor and senior News staff at BBC Radio 4.

Kind Regards

BBC Complaints Team
www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

Sheesh! What a load of old BBC Jackanory.

The mine would emit 175 Million tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime

Every tonne of steel proposed to be made with this coking coal would create almost two tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The mine would also produce mega amounts of ‘thermal’ coal – this was not questioned at all by the BBC, neither was the fact that most of the coal would be for export.

The BBC interviewer swallowed the children’s story that the steel would be for all things nice and green like wind turbines – not nasty Trident submarines or nuclear installations which need mega amounts of steel.

No mention of the high level omission that this mine would be 8km from Sellafield

No apology for the deliberate bias in not interviewing those opposed to the mine – there are plenty of miners local to the area who are against it as this video shows

What pathetic journalism from the BBC!  Or maybe it is targeted deliberately biased journalism to promote this mine as a ‘good thing’  (you may well ask, why?)  Green minded folk who heard this programme have told me they felt reassured ….until the big fat lies were pointed out to them.  The BBC’s percieved gravitas has taken us to war before now.  Whats a coal mine between friends?

COAL!! BBC & Magical Thinking

Ashes and Dust

The BBC’s latest Christmas Cracker is to promote the first deep coal mine in the UK in 30 years like there is no tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Radio 4 PM programme treated listeners to the most highly sweetened, sickening concoction of greenwash promoting a coal mine.  The plan for Woodhouse Colliery under the Irish Sea extending over 50 years towards Sellafield  seems to be enjoying the most magical of magical thinking.

It is an enigma wrapped up in coal dust.  Where is George Monbiot?  Where is David Attenborough?   Where is the Extreme Energy Network?  Where are Extinction Rebellion? Where is Everyone?  What is the BBC’s Game?

COMPLAINT TO THE BBC

I was interested to hear the PM broadcast about the proposed first deep coal mine in over 30 years. We heard from the mining developers, the Mayor of Copeland and former miners, all of whom expressed delight with the proposal. There were no dissenting voices. The reporter’s questions were superficial and too easily satisfied by the developers cynical reassurances that the steel would be used for wind turbines. This is nonsense to hoodwink the public, they could just as well have pointed out that the biggest steel structure in the world is nuclear related -over Chernobyl. This bias from PM is shocking given that the West Cumbrian coal mine is the most methane rich in the country. Despite false assurances from the developers on the programme, it proposes to produce middlings, (thermal coal) as well as coking coal, the majority of which is for export. The DEFRA Emission Factors for Company Reporting, 2017 give upstream emissions from coking coal supply as 442kg CO2e per tonne of coal. The mine will extend closer to Sellafield than ever before with the attendant risk of earthquake from such huge abstraction of coal. I expected to hear from at least one of those opposing the mine to point out the cumulative dangers, but the programme ended in a congratulatory tone. This is shocking bias from the BBC given that this is a development which is due to go before Cumbria County Council maybe as soon as February.