The cross border multi-agency working group established following the serious pollution event on the Mourne Beg River triggered by a peat slide continues to meet on an ongoing basis. Following the incident the developer of the a wind farm in Meenbog from where the peat slide originated has been carrying out significant works under their emergency response plan to reduce the risk of further peat slides and to mitigate the impact of the initial peat slide. The emergency works undertaken which are almost complete have stabilised the situation. As a result the local road downstream of the site, the Dergline Road/Corgary Road between the N15 and Castlederg/Aghyaran (L6554 – U163), has now been re-opened to traffic.
The focus of the working group has now moved from an incident response phase to an investigation, enforcement and restoration planning phase. Given this two fora have been established by the agencies involved. One forum co-ordinates the investigation and enforcement work of the agencies. The agencies involved are also coordinating inputs required from various specialists. The other forum is leading the research into and planning of restoration works that will be necessary to repair the damage to the environment caused by the pollution event.
Officials from Donegal County Council, and other agencies involved in the working group, have inspected the site of the wind farm development on an ongoing basis since becoming aware of the peat slide. During these inspections the only works that were witnessed as ongoing on site were those that were related to the emergency works necessary to prevent further bog slides or mitigate the impacts of the initial bog slide.
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