The Environment Resources Authority has extended the consultation period on reports published about the LNG tanker in Marsaxlokk Harbour by just 10 days.

The ERA announced its decision after a request made by Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil.

In response, Opposition leader Simon busuttil said, in a letter to the ERA, that the extension of just 10 days proves that the authority is trying to rush the process through.

"If the authority has already decided that it will approve permission for this project before considering it, then it would be good if the authority would tell us this outright so that nobody would waste their time. But the authority would then find the total objection from the Opposition".

He urged the ERA to extend the timeframe by a "reasonable period", that gives everyone the chance to "read, study and analyse all the information published earlier this week, so that they will have a chance to put any obections forward".

 

Simon Busuttil persists on use heavy fuel oil – Labour

In a statement, the Labour Party accused Dr Busuttil using his request for a consultation timeline extension because he does not want to see the introduction of natural gas because he prefers the use of heavy fuel oil.

 

The Labour Party said that the fact there were 15,000 pages of documentation meant that things had been done well and all the appropriate studies had been undertaken.