Save the Gweebarra River!

Save the Gweebarra River!

Started
28 December 2019
Petition to
Minister for Planning Ireland (Dept. of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland) and 2 others
Signatures: 6,226Next Goal: 7,500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Gweebarra Conservation Group

The Gweebarra River in South West Donegal is one of only 22 Salmon rivers left in Ireland. The River starts above Lough Barra in Glenveagh National Park, one of the most remote and picturesque areas in Ireland.

This is the 3rd time in ten years that the river has been threatened with industrial wind turbines which would pollute the river and destroy the Biodiversity of the Gweebarra River Valley, Estuary and Bay.

The area is sparsely populated but popular with tourists. Yet the wind peddlars are again targeting these hills and bogs in spite of strong opposition from the indigenous population and the Special Conservation Status of the River and surrounding bogs.

In 2019 Canadian company, Brookfield Renewables showed up, much to the alarm of local residents.

They  (Donegal County Council Planning file No. 19/52020) erected a 100m (328ft) High wind measuring mast in Cloghercor townland near the small village of Doochary. This is 15m (50ft) taller than the tallest building on the island of Ireland. 

Brookfield commissioned Tobin Engineering to draw up the plans for a wind farm with no public consultation whatsoever. Then they sold their Irish portfolio to Ørsted, formerly Danish Oil and Gas who are now planning with the Irish State forestry company Coillte and State electricity company ESB to build an industrial wind plant with 200m high turbines here. 

Wind energy is Not Green, Not Clean and Not Wanted on peat bogs beside the Atlantic Salmon Natura2000 Gweebarra River. 

Please help us Save The Gweebarra River, one of the last salmon rivers in Ireland, from being turned into an industrial wasteland. 

 

Support now
Signatures: 6,226Next Goal: 7,500
Support now
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Decision-Makers

  • Minister for Planning IrelandDept. of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland
  • Donegal County Council Planning OfficeDonegal County Council
  • An Bord PleanálaThe Planning Board, Dublin