The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has welcomed a High Court order that requires a Co. Monaghan company to cease the extraction of peat from a large area of peatlands in counties Westmeath, Cavan and Monaghan.
Harte Peat is a family-run business, which is understood to be one of the largest suppliers of peat to the Irish mushroom industry.
The company had been trying to overturn a 2020 decision made by the EPA to refuse the company’s application for a licence to extract peat from lands in Westmeath.
Today’s (Friday, March 8) judgment and resultant order has upheld the EPA’s position that the extraction of peat from an area greater than 50 hectares requires an Integrated Pollution Control licence from the EPA, the environmental agency said in a statement.
This must be in place before any extraction of peat and any associated works such as drainage can take place, according to the EPA.
The High Court imposed a limited, conditional stay on the taking effect of the order, to allow Harte Peat to lodge an appeal of the judgment. It must do so before April 27, 2022.
Commenting on the judgment EPA director of the Office of Environmental Enforcement, Dr. Tom Ryan, said:
“This judgment emphasises the importance of compliance with existing environmental regulations for the protection of the environment and confirms that operators cannot continue to extract peat in an uncontrolled and environmentally damaging way.
“The unlawful extraction of peat causes enormous damage to the environment by destroying unique habitats that support biodiversity and carbon sinks that can play an important role in the fight against climate change.”
He added that peat operators need to take heed of the judgment, respect the rule of law and the importance of compliance with existing regulations.
He warned that if peat operators unlawfully extract peat, the EPA will take similar enforcement actions against them.