A High Court Judge in Guyana, Damone Younge, has ruled in favor of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a case concerning the renewal of the Environmental Permit related to the Liza 1 project.
According to an EPA release, the court refused to grant the orders requested by activists Danuta Radzik and Sinilcka Henry, who had sought the cancellation of the permit renewal.
The activists had argued that the EPA erred in renewing the permit without conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and insisted that any renewed permit should maintain the same conditions as the previous one, only with an updated expiration date. They also accused the EPA of withholding information they had requested, alleging a breach of the law.
Court says applicants “cherry-picked” evidence in Liza 1 permit case | OilNOW
In response, the EPA defended its decision, stating that it had acted in full compliance with the law and emphasizing that EIAs were not mandatory during the renewal process. The EPA further argued that it had the authority to include conditions necessary for human health and the environment in renewed permits and refuted claims of failing to provide required information to the public.
In her judgment, Justice Younge sided with the EPA, highlighting that the agency is responsible for determining whether a proposed project would impact the environment and necessitate an EIA. She emphasized that the law does not explicitly require an EIA for the issuance of an environmental permit.
The EPA welcomed the judgment.
Representatives from both sides, including Frances Carryl, Shareefah Parks, and Niomi Alsopp for the EPA, and Abiola Wong-Inniss and Melinda Janki for the activists, were present during the court proceedings.
Liza 1 has been operational since December 2019 and produces as much as 160,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
