Reversing peat erosion a ‘priority’ Viking says after Staney Hill concerns
Viking says reversing “decades of serious erosion” to peat is a “central priority” of theirs, amid fears of damage to peat left at a site on the Staney Hill.
Anti-Viking group Sustainable Shetland shared images on social media of peat at a quarry last week, writing that the site was becoming “a bit o a slester” amid heavy rainfall.
Viking said the site was operated by Tulloch Developments and all enquiries about the site should be directed their way.
While the developer said that some “surplus” peat from work on their Kergord access track had been moved to the Staney Hill for reinstatement, most of the peat excavated at Kergord was being kept at that site.
“All handling and storage of excavated peat on site is part of a wider plan for its reuse and reinstatement to achieve these restoration goals.”
Alexander Kidd
VE say they are reversing decades of peat errosion? So the answer is dig up thousands of years old, good quality carbon storeing peat and asking the contractor to dump it in the quarry. When they get caught out with a small peat slide, it’s nothing to do with VE, its blame the contracter. The contractoer would not be touching the peat if it was not for VE and SSE aided by the SIC all marching into the hills with a misguided and disproportionately large wind farm on a small Island. All in aid of green renewable energy to help SG and UK Gov to hit a performance indicator for renewable energy. Interesting the VE diggers start up the very month the PM launches a strategy to protect nature and countryside, from industrialisation. The price is £2 million a year and the promise of 30 long term jobs in exchange for turning much of Shetland into an industrial power generation station to benifit the RUK. The Shetland public helpless to stop the process, even though the objections all along the way were at a level never seen before. SIC should be representing the peoples wish, and not a misguided dream!
leslie sinclair
I hope the peat can be restored sustainably.
John Irvine
Oh dear, oh dear….
If it was really their “priority” then surely they wouldn`t be digging it up in the first place?
Alastair Ball
They (VE and McLeod’s)have failed at the first hurdle polluting Sandwater Loch in spite of their Environmental Impact Assessment and their Construction Environmental Management Plan. All these documents are available at the Viking Energy website archive. You will also find the Peat Management Risk Assessment and a whole raft of other documents relating to the project.
SEPA must prosecute them for this failure as a way of notice that any infringements will be dealt with immediately and with vigour as this will be the only way to keep them in line.