Latest news with #reclamation
Malay Mail
a day ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Facing backlash from nature lovers, Singapore says Aviation Park reclamation won't affect public access to Changi Beach intertidal zones
SINGAPORE, July 28 — Planned reclamation works to expand Changi Aviation Park will not cut off access to intertidal areas off Changi Beach Park, authorities have said, following public concern over the project's environmental impact. In a joint statement, the Housing Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) confirmed that Carparks 6 and 7, commonly used by visitors heading to the shorelines, will remain unaffected by the works, according to a report in The Straits Times. The clarification came in response to an online petition initiated by nature guide Neo Xiaoyun and environmental storyteller Julian Paul Lee, who called for a scaling down of the project to preserve the area's rich intertidal ecosystem. At low tide, the site draws visitors keen to spot marine life such as anemones and octopi. The petition, created on July 13, has since gathered over 1,440 signatures. It also raised concerns about public access to environmental impact assessments (EIAs), criticising the government's use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) as a barrier to transparency and civic participation. In their response, HDB and URA said NDAs were used in this case due to security sensitivities in the report. However, they stressed that the public could still view the documents — both during and after the disclosure period — provided they signed the agreement. Most EIAs, they added, are typically made available online for public feedback. The agencies said they had consulted nature groups, youth representatives, and academics with conservation experience as part of the planning process for the Changi North works, in collaboration with the National Parks Board (NParks). Neo, who is currently pursuing a master's degree in geography and environment at the University of Hawaii, said she appreciated the authorities' engagement but felt improvements could be made. 'The use of confidentiality agreements are still worded quite broadly, so this still creates a chilling effect that dissuades meaningful civic engagement,' she said. She also urged future EIA consultations to tap into the deep local knowledge of nature guides familiar with the affected sites. According to an earlier report, about 193 hectares of land will be reclaimed off Changi — roughly twice the size of Gardens by the Bay — with the scale already reduced by one-fifth to protect a significant seagrass meadow. This project is part of a broader series of reclamation efforts at Singapore's eastern coastline, including a 900-hectare development off Changi Bay. While the official feedback window has closed, members of the public can still request to view the report by contacting HDB directly.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Alberta pays out $143 million to company over coal policy reversal
Grassy Mountain, peak to left, and the Grassy Mountain Coal Project are seen north of Blairmore, Alta., Thursday, June 6, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh) Alberta is paying out more than $140 million to end one of five lawsuits launched against it over its coal mining policies. A notice published online by Atrum Coal says the company has agreed to end its lawsuit and surrender its land back to the province in exchange for the payment. The company says it received just under $137 million last week and will receive another $6 million after it completes some reclamation work. Atrum was one of two companies suing the province that announced last month that settlements were reached, but the other, Evolve Power, has yet to share details. The companies are among five that are suing Alberta for a collective $16 billion. They argue that Alberta effectively expropriated their land after it suddenly reinstated its long-standing coal policy in 2022 less than two years after it was lifted and companies had been encouraged at that time to buy land for potential mining projects. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
Free Malaysia Today
03-07-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Health impact assessment needed for Jelutong project, says group
The RM1 billion reclamation plan involves digging up and rehabilitating the closed Jelutong landfill and reclaiming adjacent coastal land north of the Penang Bridge to temporarily dump the unearthed rubbish from the landfill, besides carrying out mixed development. GEORGE TOWN : A Penang residents' group has urged environmental regulators to reject a developer's environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a planned reclamation project next to the old Jelutong landfill, saying it breaks the rules by leaving out a full health impact assessment (HIA). In a statement, the Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee said the project's proponents ignored the need for a HIA, a new requirement under the law since January for such a project. 'The developer's failure to include a HIA is not an oversight, it's a direct violation of law. 'The environment department (DoE) has clear legal authority and constitutional obligation to reject this incomplete and non-compliant proposal,' the group's spokesman, Dr K Ganesh, said. The RM1 billion reclamation plan involves digging up and rehabilitating the closed Jelutong landfill and reclaiming adjacent coastal land north of the Penang Bridge to temporarily dump the unearthed rubbish from the landfill, besides carrying out mixed development. Ganesh said the EIA failed to consider long-term risks from dust, gas and noise, and ignored most residents in its social study. The group has demanded a full HIA, a certified landfill closure plan, and strong legal steps to protect Middle Bank — a mudflat rich in marine life and seagrass — and public health. He said the group met the Penang DoE yesterday and sent in a formal protest memo, outlining a few demands, including rejecting the developer's EIA. The group learnt that 98.6% of the public comments during the EIA public display period were against the project, Ganesh added. The Penang government signed the deal to rehabilitate the island's only sanitary landfill with PLB Engineering Bhd in 2020 to carry out the project over four to five years. However, no visible works have begun. The 65ha site includes 36ha of landfill and 29ha of new land next to the Karpal Singh Drive waterfront. Chief minister Chow Kon Yeow previously defended the project, saying it would not encroach on the Middle Bank. He had said that the reclamation was needed to create space for a safe landfill clean-up. He said once the site is cleaned up, it will be handed to the developer for mixed development, and the state would get back 20% to 30% of the reclaimed land as part of the deal. More recently, Chow said the Penang government may consider downsizing the reclaimed area following a meeting with the group. However, the residents said the developer's own report shows the landfill can be rehabilitated within its current boundary making reclamation unnecessary. FMT has contacted local government exco member Hng Mooi Lye for comment.
Malay Mail
03-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Penang open to scaling down Jelutong reclamation off Karpal Singh Drive, says chief minister
SEBERANG PERAI, July 3 — The Penang state government may consider renegotiating the terms and scale of the reclamation project off Karpal Singh Drive, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. He said the proposal under the Jelutong landfill rehabilitation and reclamation project could still be reviewed. 'We will need to scrutinise the work method that the group was worried about,' he said, referring to the Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee that recently met with him to voice concerns over the project. Chow said the group, consisting mostly of Karpal Singh Drive residents, was especially concerned about the project's work methods. 'We have to revisit why such a big area is needed and all that,' he said after attending the groundbreaking ceremony of a market complex in Batu Kawan. He said the state may consider scaling down the project by renegotiating with the developer — if the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is approved. 'There are components, lands, that need to be handed over to the state,' he said. He added that it involves a profit-sharing component, so the state may have to sacrifice its portion if the project is to be scaled down. However, he stressed that this would not affect the contract signed with the developer. In 2020, the Penang Development Corporation signed a deal with PLB Engineering Bhd to rehabilitate and develop the Jelutong landfill at a cost of RM1 billion. The project includes reclaiming 30 hectares of land off Karpal Singh Drive. The Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee has raised concerns over the project, citing environmental and pollution issues. They also warned that it could affect the nearby Middle Bank marine sanctuary. The Middle Bank marine sanctuary spans around 10 square kilometres in the South Channel waters between Penang island and the mainland. It is home to the only seagrass bed in the Straits of Malacca. A study found a total of 429 species of seagrass, trees, vegetation, fish, birds, marine mammals, turtles, molluscs, arthropods, and echinoderms there. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow speaks to reporters at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Batu Kawan market in Seberang Perai July 3, 2025. — Picture by Opalyn Mok Chow said the final decision on the project will depend on the EIA report's approval. He said the project cannot proceed without it. 'The public display of the EIA ended on June 30, so it is up to the project developer to gather feedback and respond accordingly,' he said. The next step, he said, is to wait for a decision from the Department of Environment (DoE). 'Whatever it is, we have to wait, and if they don't receive EIA approval by the deadline, the project might not proceed,' he said. Chow said the developer has until February 2026 to obtain the EIA approval. 'Now, they still have time, so if they didn't get approval, they may need to resubmit,' he said. If the developer secures EIA approval before the February 2026 deadline, the state government will renegotiate the scale of the project with them. Earlier, Chow attended the groundbreaking of a RM46 million market complex in Batu Kawan. The market, slated for completion in June 2027, will house 82 stalls, including a wet market section, hawker centre, and food stalls. It will also have 449 parking bays. Chow said the market — the first and largest of its kind in Batu Kawan — is expected to spur the local economy.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Range Impact Announces Expansion of Investment in its Fola Mine Complex with Acquisition of Two Mining Permits and Two Coal Leases
CLEVELAND, OHIO, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Range Impact, Inc. (OTCQB: RNGE) ('Range Impact' or the 'Company'), a public company dedicated to acquiring, reclaiming and repurposing distressed coal mines throughout Appalachia, today announced the acquisition of two permits and one coal lease from WV Reclaim Co, LLC and one additional coal lease from AppleAtcha Land LLC at the Fola Mine Complex located in central West Virginia. Building on its acquisition of 15 mining permits located at the Fola Mine Complex in March 2025, the Company has purchased two additional mining permits ('Purchased Permits') at the site with an estimated reclamation obligation of $10.4 million. As part of this transaction, which closed on June 30, 2025, the Company assumed a new surface coal lease with a well-capitalized and experienced mine operator that is expected to pay the Company a royalty based on coal mined and sold from these Purchased Permits. In addition, on July 1, 2025, the Company assumed a new underground coal mining lease with a large public mining company that is expected to pay the Company a royalty based on coal mined and sold from a select block of metallurgical Eagle seam coal located at the Fola Mine Complex. 'Since our acquisition of the Fola Mine approximately 90 days ago, we have successfully reduced the number of permits that we're responsible for by nearly 10% and acquired two new permits and two coal leases that are expected to provide several years of royalty income to help fund the reclamation and repurposing of the site,' stated Michael Cavanaugh, the Company's Chief Executive Officer. 'I am pleased with our initial progress and encouraged by our team's effort and dedication to resolve the reclamation obligations at the Fola Mine and thereby unlock the underlying value of the land for the long-term benefit of the local communities and the Company's shareholders,' Mr. Cavanaugh added. About Range Impact, Inc. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Range Impact is a public company (OTC: RNGE) dedicated to improving the health and wellness of people and the planet through a novel and innovative approach to impact investing. Range Impact owns and operates several complementary operating businesses focused on developing long-term solutions to environmental, social, and health challenges, with a particular focus on acquiring, reclaiming and repurposing mine sites and other undervalued land in economically disadvantaged communities throughout Appalachia. Range Impact takes an opportunistic approach to impact investing by leveraging its competitive advantages and looking at solving old problems in new ways. Range Impact seeks to thoughtfully allocate its capital into strategic opportunities that are expected to make a positive impact on the people-planet ecosystem and generate strong investment returns for its shareholders. Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' as that term is defined in Section 27(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Although we believe that these statements are based on reasonable assumptions, they are subject to numerous factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those indicated in such statements. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, changes in business strategy and new lines of business. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Range Impact, RelationsP: +1 (216) 304-6556E: ir@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
