Councillor expresses opposition to lignite mining

SDLP Councillor Patsy McGlone has written to Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to express local opposition to the issue of two mineral prospecting licences to Anglo Pacific Group.

The notification of the proposal to grant the licences to prospect for lignite was inserted in last week’s local press in mid-Ulster.

Councillor McGlone said: “This proposal to issue prospecting licences covers a very wide tract of land taking in large parts of South Derry and East Tyrone. In the early eighties a similar proposal to prospect for lignite by a multi-national was very strongly resisted by the local community. Given that this proposal is to take in an even larger district, I have no doubt that there will be widespread opposition to any notion of prospecting or mining in the area.

“I find it more ironic that at a time when a lot of people are working very hard on a recovery and development plan for a large part of this area affected by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease earlier this year, we now have to contend with a possible lignite mining situation and its threat to our local community and environment.”

Mr McGlone said that he had already written to the Minister, and that with the support of local people, community groups and council colleagues, he intended to fight the proposal “all the way”. (MB)