Questions to WAG over INCINERATOR funding

Dear Mr Roberts,
Under the Capital Access Fund, you awarded Prosiect Gwyrdd Incinerator 70% of costs up to £200k for each of 2007 and 2008 (there was presumably slippage to 2008-09). In the Accounts it says
“2.3 In addition, it should be noted that the expenditure incurred during the initial accounting period (prior to the Joint Committee being established) was funded fully from WAG Grant. "
Could you therefore explain whether the 70% fraction was waived at any stage?
Secondly, the accounts show a big jump in WAG grant in 2009, with £482 772 attributed to the year, which contributed to a big surplus. Would you please disclose an audit trail relating to the awarding of this new or additional grant, including documents on the terms/application for it plus papers in the approval process?
Note
Bid info from bid-information when they first announced Regional Capital Access Funding for waste projects, which required Councils join the consortia and couldn't cover MBT that was deemed to be a part
solution. As they pretended incinerators don't produce toxic ash needing landfill, they were defined
as acceptable for RCAF.
UKWIN on Wales Waste Strategy 2009-2050.

Lib Dems back Incinerator - project greenwash

Cardiff libdem/plaid council propose to endorse P Gwyrdd at the 11 June Exec meeting.
MUNICIPAL RESIDUAL WASTE TREATMENT (PROSIECT
GWYRDD) - PROCUREMENT
Full report on the councils website : It happily manages to NOT to use the word incinerator but instead refers to the incinerator as 'energy from waste'.
http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/objview.asp?object_id=14194
Project Incinerator gives no alternative - ie. Lib Rodney Berman
has already agreed it. The incomprehensible report pushes the

1. incinerator ash issue aside, (para 19)
2. the same with wasting the heat energy.

121. Scope of Project: It should be noted that the scope of the procurement is limited to procuring a ....
Residual Waste Treatment Solution only...i.e. INCINERATOR

What is Project Green ....
1.1.1 page 39 Prosiect Gwyrdd (Project Green) comprises a partnership of five South Wales unitary authorities (Cardiff, Newport, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and Vale of Glamorgan).
The partnership is working together to identify a suitable location for a major new residual waste treatment facility to provide an alternative recovery option to the
disposal of residual municipal waste in landfill. Once the site has been selected it is
intended that a procurement process will take place to identify a preferred bidder to
develop the facility.

Questions to raise

1. Is this risky and costly decision legal?..is it lawful to ignore TAN21 and development plan/waste plan policy
2. Why is MBT excluded in the project spec against Cardiff policy (doesn't meet The Best Practicable Environmental Option BPEO)
3. We want the decision deferred for a special inquiry/scrutiny with public and FoE-technical presence.

Not only is this project report total GREENWASH it is also total gobblygook..
e.g. The Project is aware that it will continue to ‘path-find’ throughout the procurement competitive dialogue procedure with regards to processes in Wales, as such the
Council will seek to ensure that strong liaison is maintained throughout
with the WAG officials to drive forward succinct decision making, thereby
keeping to timetable...and so on.....why not plain english....

Great news for Newport....perhaps they haven't noticed councils changing hands in Bristol over the incinerator.!!! R Berman take NOTE!!!

page 28 3(ii) Recommended site .... is known as Tatton Road, Newport. This recommendation being subject to: a Newport City Council agreeing to the same; and b Participating authorities agreeing to the terms and conditions pursuant to which such site is to be acquired or an option secured, which terms will address, how the same is to be financed by the five authorities and what is to happen at the end of the project life.
INCINERATOR to promote the concept of ECO Village!!!
....between the EfW plant and the Glan Llyn
development to promote the concept of an eco village’. Glan Llyn and / or Corus could
potentially receive all the output from the plant thus precluding the need to export
into the grid.

At their meeting Wednesday, 3rd June Monmouthshire CC's cabinet voted to
stay involved in Project Gwyrdd and proceed to the procurement stage.

Does WAG supports Merthyr incinertaor application?

Can't change hundreds of tons of rubbish into NOTHING! No incineration produces ZERO Waste . Ms Davidson said: "We need new collection services and new infrastructure  (incinerators?..really?) to use waste in the best possible way (waste to toxins best?) and stop dumping in landfill. "The extra Assembly Government funding opens the way for Prosiect Gwyrdd to move forwards so we can make the most of our resources by producing much-needed energy," she added. (?????) ... But when applied to incinerators, "energy from waste" is a dangerous euphemism. Far from being a sensible, environmentally friendly solution to the enormous amount of  waste created in Wales, incineration is a nasty quick fix to deal with our ever-growing waste mountain. Government "peddling myth" of green energy-from-waste here .. FoE's Senior Waste Campaigner, Dr Michael Warhurst said: "The government and waste industry must stop peddling                                                                                                                                                                                                     the myth that waste incineration is green energy. Incinerators can generate electricity, but they produce more climate emissions than a gas-fired power station." And they are using your money.. The announcement followed the proposal of a grant from WAG of up to £7.8 million to help develop plans for EfW projects across South Wales (RWW 654). Called Prosiect Gwyrdd (Project Green),..(couldn't make it up).. the scheme is a joint initiative between five councils in South Wales (Cardiff, Newport, Monmouth, Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly). Covanta Waste-to-Toxins Incinerator Why are the assembly government been encouraging a company that has a string of environmental breaches and union-bashing... why the secrecy? Thursday 29 January 2009 Covanta press release Covanta En ergy to Build $575 Million Energy-from-Waste Plant in Wales, UK Welsh Assembly Government Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, said, “I welcome Covanta’s inte rest in Wales. The company has a strong reputation for waste to energy activities in the United States in terms of municipal and commercial and industrial waste. Covanta is at the start of a journey which will involve it in applying for planning permission and in tendering for local authority projects alongside oth er interested parties.”

30 Jan 09 Covanta Energy has had detailed discussions about the project with WAG) and IBW, and will begin consulting February 2 with the local population
1st Feb 2009 ...The project, which is being developed following discussions
with International Business Wales (IBW) and the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG),.....

Huw ‘gravy train’ Lewis, labour assembly member for Merthyr Tydfil (even though he lives in Penarth with fellow Labour AM Lynne Neagle) has recently been heard criticising US firm Coventa over plans to build a huge waste INCINERATOR in his constituency. Lewis is right to express his concerns. Covanta was found guilty of violating employment laws in the US and has been fined hundreds of thousands of pounds after exceeding emission levels of carcinogenic chemicals from its American incinerators.

Promoted by IBW "the investment arm of WAG", visited by the deputy First Minister who then organised a "very high leve l meeting" 20 Oct. (brief prepared by IBW's CEO Geraint Jones with input from Covanta). Covanta chiefs met by Rhodri Morgan and Jane Davidson when they came over... And as the e-mails say. they had to be careful not to be seen as promoting Covanta. So at the launch visit on 2 Feb., they decided the DFM was "unable to meet the company" as originally programmed (further e-mails released under FoI).

Layne, Stephen (DE&T - PSCS)
Powell. Mark (DE&T PSCS)
26 January 2009 17:38
Mel Hiscox
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc: Linnard, Sharon (DE&T Ops Invest Wales); Williams, lan (DE&T -lBW); Geraint Jones; Hnyda, Mike (DE&T
-lBW); EKin-Wood. Shan (DE&T MCT); PS Deputy First Minister
Subject: 20090126
Importance: High
'Thanks Mel.
think that we have a potential problem with the Minister being involved in the formal announcement. That concerns the fact that the company has not yet applied for planning permission, that it does not intend to do so for some months, that the
activity could generate local hostility and that the planning application could potentially be called in.
have spoken to Chris Warner who is uneasy but we have agreed to re-group tomorrow.
"'Mark Powell
-Head of Government Business
'Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services and International Business Wales
Department for the Economy and Transport
'Ias Glyndwr
Kingsway
Cardiff F10 3AH
Tel: +44 29 2036 8253
Mobile: +44 7769 883271
From: EKin-Wood, Shan (DE&T MCT)
sent: 26 January 2009 10:02
To: Powell, Mark (DE&T PSCS)
Subject: FW: Covanta
Hi Mark - do you want me to draft some comments or do u have some bullet points with the key messages we want to get across. Having read the documents we obviously need to mention his visit to several of the company 's operations in US, world leading technology etc plus potential for attracting others companies, environmental benefits - although we need to be a bit careful as planning has not been lodged or approved yet.
How do you want to do this??
regards
Shan
Shan Ekin-Wood
Operational PR Manager/Rheolydd Cysylltiadau Cyhoeddus Gweithredol
Welsh Assembly Govemment/llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru
TeVFfon 02920 898636
Mob.07767486935
E-mail/E-bost shan.ekin-wood@wales.gsLgov.uk
From: Mel Hiscox [mailto:Mel.Hiscox@ibwales.com]
Sent: 25 January 2009 19:55
To: Powell, Mark (DE&T PSCS)
Cc: Geralnt Jonesj EKin-Wood, Shan (DE&T Mer); PS Deputy Rrst Minister
Subject: Covanta
Hi Mark.
Hope you had a good weekend.
20/0212009
~ discussed on Friday, please find attached suggested press release from Covanta.
From our side everything looks fine on content and the company have been very agreeable to us working this up with them.
With regards to the DFM comment requested, Chrls Warner IS aware that I'm channelling this through yourself and will wait to hear from you (Shan also). Could I just ask that any comment include a reference to the DFM's visit to the company and meeting with them during the Ryder Cup in Kentucky.

Further detailed project info. is also attached in a draft letter (awaiting further changes so please treat as confidential at this stage) which will be sent out to all local authority leaders on Saturday 31 61 January (For North Wales consortium, Chris Everet Flintshire) is leading so a personalised version of this will be sent to him for the group). An electronic copy will also be emailed
to all of them on Monday, February 2nd to coincide with the launch date. The only departure from this will be a planned meeting on Monday, 26th January with Jeff Edwards of MTBC but I understand from the client he is already aware of and supportive of the project.

For your background info., plann ed timeline of events over the next week or so are as follows:
• Monday, 26th January - Meeting with MTBC.
• Wednesday, 28th January - Working lunch with DFM to advise and discuss launch.
• Thursday 29th
/ Friday 30th
- Other senior officials from MTBC and CCBC to be advised of forthcoming release (not
detailed info. but heads up )
• Monday, 2nd February - 11 :OOam Press release and official launch date. DFM to visit site for tour and press.
:Chris / Shan.......Thanks again for your help with this. I shall funnel further developments through Mark this week given time
jiff. etc. we have one point of contact with most up to date info.) Geraint is also in Wales on business this week so where
Jossible will attend relevant meetings from our side also.
Mark....hope this is OK, thanks for you r help. Please give me a call to chat through your thoughts when you get a moment.
Hope to speak soon, all the best,
Mel
Mr. Mel Hiscox Senior Vice President International Business Wales
Wales International Center, The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10174
Direct: +1 (646) 7 92 8922/ Cell (US): +1 (917) 815 7294/ Mobile (UK): +44 (0)7757 681926
www.ibwales.com

International Business Wales is the main investment arm of the Welsh Assembly Government. Our free and confidential service is aimed at giving you everything you need to set up or expand your company's operations in Wales. UK.

Jeff Edwards is the Mert h yr Leader (Independents) who denied he ever met Covanta pre-january, and then had to admit lying because they had agreed to keep the 22 Sept meeting secret.
'Mr Lewis and Labour Group leader Brendan Toomey claim to have seen documents released under a Freedom of Information request that show Coun Edwards signalled support for Covanta in September, despite claims in January that he had no previous dealings with the company.' more here

"COUN CLIVE TO VEY Gurnos Ward

Labour group leader Brendon Toomey added: ‘It appears that clandestine meetings have taken place’.

In my reply I wrote: ‘If Councillor Toomey is worried about ‘clandestine meetings’ he should look no further than then Labour Party in Cardiff and perhaps his ward colleague Huw Lewis AM’.

I have been proved to be correct. I now have a copy of an e-mail sent from Covanta Energy to the Welsh Assembly Government dated September 23, 2008. It was quite clear that the Welsh Assembly Government have been in negotiations with Covanta Energy since September 2008"

Residents A

gainst Ffos-y-Fran (R.A.F.F.)

.INCINERATOR INFORMATION PAGE

Campaigners say USA firm’s safety record should bar it from Wales

Gordon James, director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said: “This is the latest in a number of worrying incidents where this company has been cited for unacceptable practices. There should be no welcome in Wales for a company with such a blemished track record.”

stop Wales being carpeted with incinerators

Last spring 4 of the South East Wales Local authorities (LAs) were grouping together to source a residual waste treatment plant, codename Prosiect Gwyrdd (Project Green Wash). MBT was mentioned but then the focus shifted to EfW

There was a fairly good chance of influencing the LAs until WAG announced their capital spending fund for partnership working on waste projects would only awarded to EfW plants, not MBT. This decision seems to have been taken after seeing the Hyder report they commissioned for the Regional Waste Plan consultations. This, in turn, seems to be based on the WRATE analysis they did of the options.

The WRATE analysis Hyder did was biased in favour of EfW, the WAG should reconsider their position and stop Wales being carpeted with incinerators.

Municipal waste management

Why?
to reduce the volume of waste that is land filled but how?
INCINERATOR - high costs -industrial scale - private partners -

Background information
A Report of: Environmental Scrutiny Committee Municipal Waste Management Strategy – Residual Waste Treatment Options JUNE 2005

11. Reducing the volume of waste which is land filled, however this is to be
achieved, will require active public support:
· Public support for, and participation in, action to reduce waste
arisings and to increase recycling will be required in the short,
medium and long term in order to minimise the potential landfill
generated;
· Public are likely to be suspicious of some new treatment systems,
such as incineration, and must therefore be educated on the
environmental realities surrounding waste treatment in order to
generate support;

· Any new waste treatment plant is likely to be an industrial scale
development necessitating a lengthily, transparent, planning
process. Public opposition to a planning application may be greater
if there is uncertainty or misconceptions about the plant and the
environmental impacts it might have.

12. Depending on the treatment process adopted, the capital costs of
building a plant are likely to be in the region of £40-80m. Given this cost,
it is likely that the Council will have to enter into a partnership with the
private sector to finance the project. Equally, the investment is such that
joint working with neighbouring authorities to generate economies of
scale could be highly desirable. If the Council were to adopt this regional
partnership approach, it would be necessary to enter into such
arrangements with clarity of the Council’s objectives and a clear
identification of risks involved and the strategies to manage these risks.
The costs which will fall to the Council will be in inverse proportion to the
risks accepted by the Council.

RECOMMENDATIONS
13. The Executive is recommended to avoid the temptation to rush to a
technical solution but rather to recognise that the eventual solution
arrived at is likely to be heavily influenced by the market, which needs to
be carefully understood. Nonetheless, urgent action is required by the
Executive to protect the Council against the financial penalties that
continued reliance on landfill will involve. To achieve this, the Executive
is recommended to:
R1. Commence structured dialogue with neighbouring authorities to establish the viability for creating a regional waste management facility;
R2. Accurately define, with neighbouring authorities, the “waste problem” to which potential private sector partners will be invited to develop solutions.
R3. Commission Officers to examine potential sources of the capital funding
required to deliver a new waste management facility.
R4. Embark on an expansive education campaign about the need to reduce land filling, and the technologies available to achieve this. Such a campaign would need to address the information needs of all elected Councillors and officers, as well as the general public.
R5. Lobby the Welsh Assembly Government to reclassify the UK definition of RDF (– Residual Waste Treatment) from waste to fuel.

Waste going to landfill’ - each new incinerator requires a nominated hazardous waste site to receive the highly toxic fly ash produced by this technology. The additional sites will require constant and careful monitoring for health and safety reasons.