URsTV have just discovered that Scottish Coal are intending to pollute the River Ayr by discharging up to 5184 cubic metres per day of trade effluent to the Lightshaw Burn near Muirkirk commencing in October 2009.

The Lightshaw Burn is situated between Muirkirk and Glenbuck on the A70 and as Glenbuck is the source of the River Ayr this will contaminate the whole river system.

River Ayr near Muirkirk

River Ayr near Muirkirk

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency considers that the controlled activity has or is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the water environment and requires the application to be advertised in accordance with Regulation 13 of The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

The notice was advertised in the Kilmarnock Standard on 18 September 2009 and gives “interested parties” only 28 days to “make representations” in writing about the application.

Please make your opinion known and write to:-

The Registry Department, SEPA, East Kilbride, 5 Redwood Crescent, Peel Park, East Kilbride G74 5PP, quoting CAR/L/1063802. Or telephone 01355 574 200.

A copy of the application may be inspected free of charge, at the above address, between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (except local and national holidays) or by prior arrangement at the SEPA, Ayr Office, 31 Miller Road, Ayr KA7 2AX, telephone number 01292 294000.

Firth of Clyde

Firth of Clyde

The Scottish Parliament have issued the following statement from Cathy Jamieson MSP:

“Both Des Browne and I have requested further details from Scottish Coal on this matter. We will also be contacting SEPA and will be looking to discuss the situation with them in some detail.

“We would also encourage local people to outline their views on this matter to SEPA, as it clearly could have some impact on the river system.”

The River Ayr Way is Scotland’s first source to sea path network and cost over £2.5M to develop. The entire route is 44 miles which runs from Glenbuck to the sea at Ayr and passes through some of Ayrshire’s most stunning scenery and sites of interest.

River Ayr near Muirkirk

River Ayr near Muirkirk

At a time when Ayrshire is struggling with the current economic and environmental climate tourism is now becoming even more important to the future development of the area so with great respect to the Scottish Coal Board and any other would-be polluters of our rivers, please deal with your industrial waste effluent in a sympathetic and environmentally clean manner. The good people of Ayrshire are watching you!

FYI: The above video was taken yesterday and shows just how rich and beautiful the Firth of Clyde is and of course we all want to keep it that way.