North Antrim

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North Antrim as Lignite Land
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location and size of proposed lignite
development area
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Mining
Soil pile
Power station
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a section through theland showing the minein
relation to river systems
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90m
80m
70m Average land height above sea level Average land height above sea level Average land height above sea level
60m
50m
40m
30m
20m
10m
Sea level
-10m
-20m
Average land thickness
Ballymoney river feeders
the lignite mine
Bush river
Average lignite thickness
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Effect on ground water

• A large part of the upper Ballymoney river system
  will be removed. This will interfere with the
  Bann into which it flows.
• Two streams feeding into the Bush will be covered
  by the heap of removed soil.
• It is likely that due to the depth of the mine
  the water table will be lowered causing drying up
  of meadows, springs, wells and streams in summer.
• This will destroy habitats of Curlew, Lapwing,
  Snipe, Moorhen and Buzzard.

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Is it worth taking a riskon damaging the
ecosystems of the rivers Bush and Lower Bannto
the extent of making eels and salmon
extinct?What would tourists think of
that?
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the scale of the damage to the landscape is
frighteninga case of wonderland to blunderland!
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Loss of Hedges, Ditches and Trees

• Shelter, food and nesting places for many birds
  will be lost.
• Insect life will be decimated.
• Habitats for Foxes, Badgers, Rabbits, Hares and
  Stoats will be lost.
• Greater exposure to wind and rain will increase
  erosion.
• The damage to the Food Web will reduce the
  variety of wildlife in the area.

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to some landscape loversfarm machines such as
tractors and combine harvesters destroythe
peace and quiet of the countryside but what
aboutmonsters like this?
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Loss of Archaeological Sites and Artefacts?

• It is likely that the area contains a timeline of
  human habitation going back to the Middle Stone
  Age.
• Raths and Souterrains dating back to Early
  Christian Times should never be tampered
  with.(Folklore)
• Finds yet to be discovered will end up in the
  pile of scraped away soil.

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Homes, Roads, Lanes, Tracks and Hedges

• Many of these will end up on the spoil heap.
• A slice of human history will vanish with them.
• The soft sounds of the countryside will be
  replaced by the clamour of industry.

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Is there any reason good enough to destroy
alandscape heritage like this?
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and this?
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look at how the landscape wouldchange
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Climate and Weather

• Calm damp weather makes the pollution worse. It
  localises it. Sulphur dioxide dissolves in rain
  to produce acid.
• Temperature inversion traps the pollution close
  to the ground.
• Winds will carry the pollutants far and wide.

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Think about our climate especially the weather
we getin November to March many days of low
grey clouds and damp cold still air perfect
for soaking us in pollution.Now think of those
days whenthe wind would lift you off your feet
perfect for polluting our neighbours.
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With all of that in mindshould we even be
thinking aboutdoing something as filthy
asproducing energy fromlignite?Heres what
you get with the energy from lignite.
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By Products and Effects

• Sulphur dioxide makes rain, soil and streams
  more acid. Damages leaves and breathing systems
  of animals. Could reduce Blackspot in roses and
  Blight in potatoes
• Carbon dioxide greenhouse effect. Could
  increase crop yields with increased sunlight up
  to a certain level.
• Other greenhouse gases Methane and Nitrous
  Oxide.
• Carbon monoxide prevents red blood cells
  handling oxygen causing respiraton failure.

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Continued -

• alkanes, alkenes, aldehydes, alcohols, benzene,
  toluene, xylene and ethyl benzyne.
• dioxins and furans.
• polycyclic organic matter and polynuclear
  aromatic hydrocarbons.
• trace metals mercury, lead, arsenic
• other gases chlorine and fluorine as HCl and
  HF.
• particulates small pieces of dirt. Possibly
  silica oxide and mica.
• All of these cause serious health problems
  poisoning, cancer, bronchitis.

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Heres a really worrying thought!Lignite
contains about 30 silica oxide so what does
the ash of lignite contain?Extracting energy
from lignite produces a lot of ash!Silica in
the air causes serious respiratory problems.
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The Big Hole in the ground

• After the Lignite is mined the hole will be
  filled with the by products of the furnace and
  covered with the soil from the spoil heap.
• Could someone be thinking of using it as a
  potential landfill site?
• Either of these will put the quality of the
  ground water at great risk.
• Could Ballymoney the homestead of the bog
  become -
• Ballypolmore the homestead of the big hole?

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The hole left by the removal of lignite could
become thelandfill site of all landfill
sites.It could solve our waste problemsfor
years to come!
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The Landscape Replaced

• When the soil is replaced the area will be
  landscaped and replanted.
• How will it compare with what was there before?
• It will be difficult to compete with something
  that took 10 000 years to evolve.

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Who

• Who will dismantle the pylons after the project
  finishes?
• Who will dismantle the buildings after the
  project finishes?
• Who will assume responsibility for site
  restoration if the company becomes insolvent?
• Who will bear the consequences of a badly damaged
  environment?

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Health

• Medical experts tell us that human health will
  deteriorate.
• Veterinary experts tell us that animal health
  will deteriorate.
• Botanical experts tell us that plant health will
  deteriorate.
• Because of our interdependence we all have a lot
  to lose.

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Happiness

• The sights and sounds of the North Antrim
  countryside as it is creates a feeling of
  wellbeing.
• It is unlikely that the replacement will do the
  same.
• Psychosomatic illnesses the ones in your head
  will increase.

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What do you mean well have to move?
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Well if this lignite thing goes ahead the
placell never be the same again