Welcome to the
Residents Against Ffos-y-Fran (R.A.F.F.)
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THIS FIGHT IS NOT OVER - NOT BY A LONG CHALK - WE WILL GET JUSTICE FOR MERTHYR
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<<< see the Latest Updates link on the left for links to all the latest news and information about our fight.
Who we are
As a group, and under various names, we have been fighting against the opencast mining of
Ffos-y-Fran (common land on a hillside above North East
Merthyr Tydfil) for 5 years now, with several members of the group opposing opencast mining in
the town for decades before us.
This opencast mine is a massive scheme that will blight our lives for at least the next 17 years, and it's only 37 Metres from the nearest housing estate and edge of a large community!
We are suffering desperately with the noise from the operation (60dbA+ at times and
regularly at 55dbA) and - to varying degrees governed by the topography,
weather conditions, and wind direction - from the dirt and dust output also.
Listen hear to these diggers working up on site.
Background Information - Our Predicament
Merthyr Tydfil is surrounded by coal deposits, and has always been an irresistible attraction to speculators who want to make vast profits for minimum outlay. Miller-Argent Mining are just the latest protagonists. The biggest problem is that this time they have the backing of Westminster, the Welsh Assembly Government, and Merthyr Tydfil Bprough Council. This has come about because of the Labour government's lack of a vision in their energy policy, and Wales' reliance on the Aberthaw coal fired power station. They want as much coal as they can get as cheaply as they can source it - and damn the impact on the people of Merthyr Tydfil!
Merthyr Tydfil is densely populated (approximately 60-70,000
50 - 55,000 residents, unsurprisingly it's a falling population...) all living extremely close to the coal seams. It is also situated in a valley 'bowl', with much of the coal in elevated positions which loom over the populace. You can now appreciate the conflict; money versus the impact on the community.
Add to that the fact that this is Wales, England's dumping ground, and Merthyr Tydfil is Wales's dumping ground, and you can see just how damned we are!
We have people living up to only 37 Metres (40yds/120ft) from this huge mining operation, with absolutely no protection from noise or fallout. The Welsh Assembly Government will not agree to a buffer zone of any sort, and no compensation or re-location has been offered. Miller-Argent is a self regulating company so the council believe that they have abrogated responsibility for the mines impact on the people of Merthyr.
The noise monitoring and dust monitoring is carried out by the company itself! Hard to believe, isn't it? All data is owned by the company themselves and the public has no call on it. Sanitised reports are produced and supplied to the council once a year. No, I'm not making it up. It's like giving the keys to your house to a burglar and then asking them not to rob your house! And you won't check that they haven't done so until next year!
The working hours are from 07:00 to 23:00 (currently 22:00, but this could be withdrawn at any time). The droning noise of the machinery is unceasing and all pervading filling our every waking hour. We are allowed 8 Hrs sleep, as long as it is after 11:00 pm and your up before 07:00! (Such a caring company!)
A Health Impact Study was commissioned and produced (against great opposition) by a highly qualified team from Cardiff University. It was headed up by Dr Goldby and the conclusions were damning. Merthyr Tydfil already has the second highest occurrence of chest complaints in Britain so you can imagine what constant dust, dirt, noise and diesel fumes will do.
Merthyr Tydfil Council, The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and the mining company (Miller-Argent) all refuse to acknowledge or accept the validity of this report...(even though it was funded by the WAG, they distanced themeselves from it when they could see it wasn't going their way!).
The operation was initially planned to last 17 years, but we have been told that there are plans to take this to 25 and 40 years if necessary.
The coal from Ffos-y-Fran is supplying approximately 40% of the needs of the 'dirty dinosaur' that is Aberthaw Coal Fired Power Station. The working life of this power station has recently been extended to 2025 and this now closely matches the proposed lifespan of Ffos-y-Fran.
Aberthaw is the biggest polluter in Wales (The Industrial Pollution league table 2006: In 2006 the power station pumped out more than 7.4million tonnes of CO2 (carbon dioxide)), and in the top 5 largest polluters in Britain. The most damaging pollutant of these is CO2, a 'greenhouse gas' responsible, along with methane, for having the greatest impact on climate change in the world today
Despite one heck of a lot of rhetoric, there are no plans to implement Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) at Aberthaw power station. So, Aberthaw will continue to burn coal from the South Wales coalfields completely unfettered for the rest of it's working life. This gives approximately 7.5 mega (million!) tonnes x 17 = 127,500,000 tonnes of CO2 into our atmosphere
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