Community urged to renew lignite protest - Unionists

Mr Swann is North Antrim UUP Chairman and Party Spokesman on Social Economy, Energy and Consumer Affairs, while Rev Dr Coulteris the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner.

The two UUP men issued their joint statement as the Stormont Executive's three-year moratorium against lignite drilling in the constituency expires in a matter of weeks.

Mr Swann and Dr Coulter said: "Let the community be under no illusion about the environmental devastation and economic disaster which would be heaped on our North Antrim constituency should any green light be given to lignite drilling.

"The recession has hit our constituency very hard, but if lignite drilling began, it would see large parts of North Antrim become economic and environmental wastelands.

"We pledge our continued full support to the campaign to stop lignite mining in our constituency, because if we lose this battle, it will turn a large area of North Antrim into an environmental and economic desert.

"We strongly urge the entire North Antrim community to equally renew their pledge to stop our beloved constituency becoming a wasteland.

"Lignite mining would witness the almost total destruction of a substantial section of our farming industry and almost certainly sound the death knell for tourist development in our historic constituency.

"The World Wildlife Fund is on record as stating that lignite is the dirtiest and most polluting fuel in Europe.

"The WWF said the proposed mine and power station near Ballymoney would produce 4.8 million tones of carbon dioxide per year in the lifespan of the project. This is equivalent to an additional 1.2 million cars on Northern Ireland's roads every year.

"The then Stormont Minister's three-year moratorium on lignite drilling in

2007 was a most welcome reprieve for both community and constituency.

"We call on the Executive to either again extend the moratorium, or totally shelve the lignite mining proposals.

"The situation should not be viewed as simply a 'Ballymoney Blight'or a problem for that specific borough. This mine if it went ahead will have devastating effects for the entire North Antrim community. That is why we are calling for the whole constituency to mobilize once more against the lignite mine threat," said Mr Swann and Rev Dr Coulter.