Stabroek News
May 2, 2001

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to withdraw an earlier notice giving members of the public 28 days to study the project summary of the contentious Ogle Aerodrome expansion project.

The summary is still to be made available by the developers of the project.

A notice was published in the Guyana Chronicle about four weeks ago informing the public that the project summary was available and the 28-day period was to allow submissions of issues to be included in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project.

Operations director of the EPA, Denise Fraser, said on Monday that the agency had anticipated being in receipt of the summary already but the developer has not made it available.

After the 28-day period, an EIA is conducted and submitted to the EPA upon completion. The EPA and an EIA review board then looks at the EIA. The EPA then either recommends the project or rejects the application.

If approved, the public then has 60 days to comment on the EPA's decision.

The expansion of the Ogle aerodrome to a municipal airport was mooted over two years ago.

The proposed development of the aerodrome is earmarked to be part of a US$30 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Air Transport Reform Programme for Guyana.

Consumer advocate, Sheila Holder, is part of a concerned group of residents of Ogle and its environs who have reservations about the proposed project.

Holder said on Monday that residents were not only worried about the safety concerns the project would raise, but also the possibility of the aerodrome being transformed into a site for illicit activities because of the lack of adequate manpower to properly run the place.

"Right now the government is stretched out to monitor and enforce the laws and regulations of this country to ensure the welfare of the citizens are protected," Holder said. "Can there he a guarantee that personnel will be placed there so that it will not be made a drug haven."

Holder said there were some persons who felt the group wanted to hinder development but she pointed out that there must be guarantees that the necessary facilities will be installed to negate the likely adverse impacts.

She wanted to know what was all the fuss about upgrading the aerodrome to accommodate more air traffic when the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri was underutilised.

The group has already met with IDB resident representative, Robert Kestell, to air its concerns.

In an environmental assessment on the aerodrome done by the IDB's Environmental Resources Management (ERM) which was handed over to the EPA, it was stated that the upgrading of the aerodrome is related to improving existing safety measures and a desire to increase flight availability and the number of destinations.

The IDB report said Ogle would operate in tandem with the airport at Timehri, with the latter serving international medium-to-long range aircraft while Ogle will be favoured by local traffic owing to its easier access to Georgetown.

ERM estimated that the expanded aerodrome would be able to increase its capacity to around 30,000 movements of aircraft and provide for some 300,000 passengers per year.

A phased development programme is planned. The first stage involves upgrading the airport to internationally-accepted standards of performance.

It comprises the following main components: (a) construction of a runway at least 2,640 feet by 99 feet; (b) installation of a runway lighting system; (c) installation of radio navigation aids; (d) construction of a control tower; (e) construction of a modern, permanent fire station.

The report said this construction is expected to take nine months and will also involve the widening and repaving of the access road from the East Coast Demerara highway to the aerodrome.

The second stage of development includes: (a) an extension of the runway to 1,310 feet; (b) extension of the terminal building to deal with more passengers; (c) provision of a paved taxiway; (d) addition of hangars to accommodate newcomers.

The ERM report listed as concerns to the expansion programme: (i) two houses located within the airport boundary.

ERM said these will have to be relocated to maintain the safety zone at the end of the new runway.

(ii) The Industry housing scheme.

ERM said there are 2-3 houses located at the southern end of the Industry road which may need to be relocated, so as to maintain the new runway a safe distance away from the other residences.

(iii) The newly-established Goedverwagting upper income housing area - these houses may be subject to noise impacts mainly from the revving of aircraft engines.

(iv) The residents of Plaisance and surrounding villages who will also be subject to noise impacts from take-offs and landings.

ERM identified actions needed to address the existing concerns which include the buying out of properties within the airport boundary and the end of Industry road; the development of an environmental management system; and strengthening the capacity of the authorities to regulate private operators.