Description:

The application to build a new gas terminal at Le Verdon on the south side of the Gironde Estuary is facing increased local opposition, with the recent formation of a new action group (Estuaire 33-17), and the Transport Minister and Conseil General for Royan-East Dominique Bussereau last week re-stating his own opposition to the project.

The proposed project by Dutch company 4Gas has already successfully passed a public enquiry, and following a study by DRIRE (the regional division of industry, research and the environment), the decision now rests with the prefects, who are in the process of studying the documents along with their lawyers.

The proposed facility is seen as a key infrastructure project that will open up domestic gas markets in both south west and south east France, as well as Spain and Italy.  The terminal itself will take shipments of liquified natural gas (LNG) from foreign producers, convert it back into domestic gas and store it in a large tank, for onward distribution. 

Opponents are unhappy at both the potential size of the gas storage tank, and the environmental effects of the tanker ships moving in and out of the estuary, with the potentially harmful effects of dredging.  There is also opposition to the fact that the development continues to look to exploit fossil fuels, at a time when there is pressure to revert to renewable energy.  4Gas have submitted two options for the tank, including one that partially buries the structure to reduce the height.  The facility if approved will be located on the site of a defunct oil storage terminal.

Ultimately the decision rests with elected officials in the Medoc, but the potential effects of the project are such that more active opposition is starting to mobilise in Charente Maritime.  The Medoc based group ‘Une Point pour tous' was seen as too Medoc-based and not sufficiently active for environmentalist Eric Poder, who launched the new opposition group Estuaire 33-17 in attempt to increase the pressure on decision-makers.  The group has the backing of Greenpeace and the group Robin des Bois.

There are no indications as to when a decision will be reached over the project, but the company aims to start work as early as 2010, with the facility to become operational by 2013.