Coal plant hearing stalls for second time

Hearings on the controversial Lamu coal plant have failed to take off again after two members of the National Environment Tribunal failed to show up.

Local conservation group Save Lamu has opposed the issuance of a licence by Nema for the Sh210 billion coal-based plant to be built in Lamu.

This is the second time the hearings have failed to take off over lack of quorum.

Earlier in the morning, the hearings were moved from the Supreme Court building in Nairobi to Nema offices on Mombasa Road.

“Nema used the same tactic in Lamu county to block public input on the coal plant, holding public consultation meetings at inaccessible locations,” an official said.

The hearing will now take place on Monday next week.

Other organisations opposing the coal plant in Lamu are Unesco, Lamu Juu, the Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Greenpeace and the local communities of Lamu.

Marine biologist Dr David Obura said the planned Lamu coal plant would have a huge negative impact on residents, the surrounding land vegetation and marine life. Read full article here