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New plan sparks marine life fears
AN environmentalist has attacked new plans by United Utilities to increase sewage discharges into the sea at Fleetwood.
The company scrapped a proposed scheme to change the way it discharged waste from its Jameson Road sewage works into the sea last year after almost 500 people objected and following feedback from the Environment Agency.
But now United Utilities has re-launched its plans, claiming the amount of effluent has been reduced and that it will be little different to the current discharge.
But Dr John Brown of the Lune and Wyre Fisheries Association says he still has "huge concerns" about the plans.
He added: "Any discharge around there is going to have an effect, no matter what the
Environment Agency says about it."
There is anxiety about migrating salmon and Dr Brown said: "It's going to affect a lot of the marine life as well.
"I think we need to start looking for other solutions to this discharge, such as more treatment onshore.
"It's time we took responsibility for pollution that is created."
Iain Johnstone, who led the previous protest against, is meeting with United Utilities bosses on Wednesday to discuss the proposals but said he remained to be convinced.
When the original plans were first announced last year, protesters were also concerned that an excess of treated sewage could end up on bathing beaches.
An advert of the application to the Environment Agency will be published this week.
This will be followed by six weeks of public consultation.
Rob Tidswell, catchment manager of UU Wastewater, said: "Assessing the science behind the original application, the Environment Agency said we didn't have any supporting information and this time we have provided it."
The discharge is measured by how much oxygen it takes out of the water.
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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