Public Meeting Monday 22nd April in Sparkwell Parish Hall at 6pm

HEMERDON MINE – ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT APPLICATIONS

The Environment Agency has advised us that they are now in the final stages of determining the Environmental Permit application for the operation of the Mineral Processing Plant at Hemerdon Tungsten Mine. This permit is needed in order to operate the Mine in the future.

The Environment Agency, a National Government Regulator, is responsible for ensuring that General Noise, Low Frequency Noise, Dust and other Environmental considerations are controlled on the site, as part of any permit approvals.

Following a recent meeting with representatives of the Environment Agency, Sparkwell Parish Council has organised a Parish meeting to which we cordially extend an invitation to you to attend at Sparkwell Village Hall on Monday 22nd April at 6pm. We are hoping that representatives of the Environment Agency and Tungsten West, the Mine Operators, will also be attendance to present the proposals and respond direct to questions from local residents.

We are writing to ask you to review the application and to raise your own concerns that the Mine operators must be prevented from causing noise, dust and environmental pollution to nearby residents. When Wolf Minerals previously operated the Mine, we suffered from general noise, low frequency noise and dust pollution in addition to excess pollution of the Tory Brook River. It is vital that we challenge the Environment Agency to ensure this does not recur in future.

Below, we have provided a copy of the Environment Agency’s guidance on how we can review their documents and comment as part of the current consultation process by visiting their online Citizen Space web page: http://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/lp7-5bw-drakelands-restoration-limited2/ or by emailing them at: pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk or by writing to them at: Environment Agency Permitting and Support Centre, Land Team, Quadrant 2, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WF.

We thank you for all your support and engagement over the years and look forward to seeing you at the meeting, but as arsenic is present at Hemerdon Mine, it is vital that our health and safety is protected by the Environment Agency in the future and that any breaches by the Mine Operators are immediately sanctioned by the Environment Agency.

Yours sincerely,

Sparkwell Parish Council