L.P.G. commiśion meets today

Press, 17 June 1982, Page 6

L.P.G. commiśion meets today

Opponents and supporters of the Liquigas Consortium’s plans to bring liquefied petroleum gas through Lyttelton to Christchurch face one another for the first time . today. The Commission of Inquiry into the proposed LytteltonWoolston L.P.G. pipeline will hold a preliminary hearing at the Christchurch City Council's chambers. It will help the commission decide who is to appear at the proceedings, what matters will be presented, and what procedures should be adopted when it begins the main hearings on June 28. ■ Feelings have/run high in

Lyttelton about the. Liquigas plans and the Borough Council- surveyed residents on whether they supported the unloading of L.P.G. at the oil wharf. Results of the survey, expected to be released in the next few days, will be used by the council in'evidence to the commission. ./ The commission has been asked to report its findings by September 30. Its terms of reference require the commission to consider the effects of the transport of L.P.G. on the social and physical environment, and any other matters it considers relevant. Liquigas hopes to bring

L.P.G. into port in tankers and unload it at the oil wharf. It would then be pumped along, an underwater pipeline across Corsair Bay and Cass Bay before being piped over the Rapaki ridge to a bulk storage depot in Woolston.

The plan to unload L.P.G. at the . oil wharf has aroused the most opposition. - '

Groups planning to make submissins opposing the .use of the wharf include ihe Lytteltin Borough Council; the Harbour Board Employees' Union, the Merchant Services’ Guild, the Lyttelton Environmental protection Society, the three>Labour

members of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and individual residents. : .The ’'member oL Parliament for Lyttelton, Mrs Ahn Hercus, who has spoken out against use of the wharf, will not appear at the inquiry but has helped Liquigas opponents with research.

Another group against the use - of the wharf is' the Waterfront Workers’ Union. It will not make submissions before the commission but will make its opposition felt “in another manner,” according to the union secretary, Mr M. E. Foster. ’ ■''

Some of the strongest criticism of the' Harbour Board's decision to allow

unloading of L.P.G. at the wharf has come from a group of its own employees, the pilots. They have said the plans are “dangerous and unacceptable,” and criticised thfe 'board for a lack of consideration of alternative sites.

The board will give evidence before the commission supporting its decision. This permission, was subject to the . commission's including the use of the oil wharf in its terms of reference. Board representatives attending the preliminary hearing will hope that the commission ; decides to do this.