Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent
PARIS, Aug. 21 -- A local environmentalist group and a handful of residents near Antifer are opposing construction of the proposed 9 billion cu m/year Gaz de Normandie LNG terminal, regasification unit, and pipeline at Antifer near the Le Havre oil port in Normandy, France (OGJ Online, Oct. 10, 2006).
The group, which reportedly has collected 7,500 signatures on an internet petition, wants the project scrapped, saying the project's purpose is profit and not because France needs more gas—a "fossil fuel which produces carbon dioxide"—according to environmentalist leader François Auber.
GDN Pres. Jean-Luc Poyer, in charge of the project for the main shareholder Poweo, told OGJ that there also were supporters of the project and that public input is scheduled for Sept. 14 through Dec. 14. The National Commission for Debates had asked Poyer to avoid polemics until then, he said.
Poyer said GDN would comply with the European Economic Commission's strict Seveso rules to which the Antifer site is subject. The 1982 Seveso directive aims to prevent major industrial accidents and to limit the consequences to people and the environment of any that occur.
GDN is a €500 million LNG regasification terminal project led by energy supplier Poweo 34%, in joint venture with E.On AG of Germany 24.5%, Austrian utility Verbund 24.5%, and the oil storage and port firm CIM 17%.