…says EIA procedures were not followed; insists study must be done
(Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana has breached environmental law by proceeding with the Wales Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Executive Director Dr. Vincent Adams has charged.
While construction continues on Phase One, which includes a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and a 300-megawatt (MW) power plant, plans for a second phase are being advanced without adherence to the country’s Environmental Protection Act.
In an interview with Kaieteur News, Dr. Adams described the decision to proceed without an EIA as reckless, given the project’s scale and potential consequences for public safety and the environment.
“When you’re doing these types of projects, especially high hazards, high consequences, these major projects … and for neither us to not do a feasibility study nor an EIA is absolutely reckless,” the former EPA head said.
Dr. Adams argued that the Government frequently emphasises the sanctity of contracts but has failed to honour provisions in the same agreement that require a feasibility study for the use of natural gas. He said such a study would also examine environmental implications, costs, challenges and alternative options.
‘Govt. breached environmental law with Wales gas project’ — Former EPA Head
Former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Vincent Adams
He further contended that proper assessments could have saved millions of dollars, pointing to the dispute between the Government and the project contractor over soil conditions.
The petroleum and environmental engineer also criticised what he described as poor planning for other major developments, including the new Demerara River crossing. He recalled that the EPA initially indicated that an EIA was required for that project before reversing its position. He also pointed to plans for uranium mining without adequate environmental studies.
Turning to Wales, Dr. Adams stressed that no EIA was conducted for the NGL facility and gas-fired power plant. ExxonMobil, through its consultant, completed an EIA for the pipeline component of the GTE project, but that study indicated that a separate assessment would be undertaken for the NGL facility and power plant.
He warned that the handling of natural gas presents significant risks because of its explosive properties and the potential consequences for human life and the environment.
Dr. Adams cited the Bhopal disaster in India in the 1980s, when a toxic gas leak killed thousands of people, as a reminder of the potentially devastating consequences of industrial accidents.
IMPORTANCE OF EIAS
Emphasising the importance of an EIA, Dr. Adams described the study as the “bible” for protecting health, safety and the environment.
He explained that an EIA identifies hazards associated with a project during construction, operation and decommissioning, while outlining measures to prevent or mitigate risks and examining alternative approaches.
“It identifies every single hazard before, during and after that project and then the EIA identifies how you will mitigate and prevent them, alternative actions,” he explained.
Dr. Adams insisted that an EIA for the Wales NGL facility and power plant is essential, particularly as the Government advances Phase Two of the project, which is expected to include an additional power plant and NGL facility.
“There is no question about it. This is normal. This here you wouldn’t even need a lot of thought to see that you need an EIA. Just by the magnitude of the project,” he said.
He noted that the project involves high temperatures, high pressures, low temperatures and explosive gases, all of which could create conditions for a serious accident.
Beyond identifying hazards, he said, the assessment should establish appropriate emergency-response arrangements in the event of an explosion or chemical incident.
According to Dr. Adams, different chemicals require different response methods, meaning emergency personnel must receive specialised training and have access to the appropriate equipment. He also questioned where emergency teams would be stationed and whether adequate arrangements had been made to manage traffic and evacuations in the event of a major incident.
BREACH OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT
Dr. Adams said the Environmental Protection Act requires developers to submit an application to the EPA before proceeding with projects that may significantly affect the environment. The agency must then assess the proposed development to determine whether an EIA is required.
He accused the EPA of failing to follow that process in the case of the Wales project.
According to the former agency head, the EPA should analyse the potential hazards and determine whether a full EIA is necessary. If the agency concludes that the risks do not warrant an EIA, it may instead require an Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
However, he said the agency must publish its decision and the reasons behind it, allowing members of the public to scrutinise the decision and exercise their right to appeal.
“The EPA is not even doing that anymore,” Dr. Adams charged, adding that no project summary or decision regarding an EIA for the Wales NGL facility and power plant had been published.
“That is the law. If you do not do that, they are violating the law,” he argued.
Dr. Adams said the absence of a publicly available decision concerning both Phase One and the proposed second phase also undermines citizens’ ability to challenge regulatory decisions.
He cited the proposed uranium project as another example of what he described as the EPA’s failure to follow established procedures. He said an EMP was published without giving the public an adequate opportunity to participate, prompting objections from an Indigenous community and a subsequent letter to the agency. The EPA later published its decision on the EIA.
Dr. Adams warned that a similar situation appeared to be unfolding with the GTE project.
“This government has no respect for even their own rule of law. No EIAs seem to be their unwritten rule and policy,” he declared.
He further accused the administration of prioritising financial returns over public welfare, arguing that projects were being advanced too quickly without sufficient consideration of safety and environmental consequences.
“As long as it’s gonna provide money, they want it as much as possible, as fast as possible and they don’t think about anything else,” he said.
Dr. Adams attributed some of the shortcomings to what he described as a lack of technical understanding within the administration, arguing that officials could be swayed by financial projections presented by foreign companies.
He also recalled Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s previous description of the GTE project as a “no-brainer” when questioned about the need for a feasibility study.
Dr. Adams countered that conducting the necessary studies should have been the obvious course of action before proceeding with a project of such scale and potential risk.
Original link posted by Kaieteur News on October 11, 2026
