RPS tell local landowners they have selected a preferred route

THE MAYO 4 ECHO Wed 3rd Oct 2007
http://www.mayoecho.com/this%20weeks%20edition/pdfs/MAYO04.pdf

€18 million Package Proposed for Landowners in Rossport Area

The Mayo Echo has learned that the consulting engineers appointed by Shell E&P Ireland to find a modified route for the contentious gas pipeline route have
told a number of landowners they have selected a route from the shortlist of three. The route, known as Corridor A, runs close to the original route that was
proposed by Shell, that lead to the imprisoning of the Rossport 5. The altered route is steered away from a number of homes and up through uninhabited commonage.
The route comes ashore at Rossport village, close to a number of dwellings, although it is understood that Shell have already gotten landowner
agreement in this area. In a series of briefings held over recent weeks, landowners in the Rossport area have been told that the route that passes through their village, and two banks
of commonage on route to the proposed refinery has been recommended to Shell as the preferred route. It is understood that RPS, the consulting engineers
tasked with identifying the proposed route, have also recommended that a financial package of around €20 million be made available to approximately 60 shareholders
in two commonages, Rossport and Barhauve commonages. This would leave each landowner with around €300,000 to be paid over a 15 – 20 year period.
PRS had announced publicly in recent days that they have short listed three routes, and they were now considering these routes for the proposed pipeline to
identify the favoured route. This is at odds with the claims by local landowners that the Rossport / Barhauve route has been chosen as the preferred route
by RPS. Some of the landowners who were briefed by RPS were told that if any one landowner rejected the offer, then nobody would be getting the money. This is
set to increase tensions between those who are willing to accept the pipeline, and those who oppose it. Landowners reported that RPS said they don’t expect
a reply from Shell on their proposal until early 2008. However, a spokesperson from RPS denied that the preferred route had been chosen. ''We certainly don't
know the route yet. It could be any of the three shortlisted corridors. It will be some weeks yet before we are in a position to recommend the route. At
this stage we are confident an acceptable route will emerge from the process that is currently underway.'

Rossport landowners report that RPS spokespersons told them the above route is the final recommended route