My last post mentioned a few things which I need to follow up on.
The first is that I mentioned that Dr Bazley removed himself from the CNCC and while I believed it was recently, its turned out to be a bit earlier than I thought- of course there was a bit of a lag in finding out.
But a request answered by DOE on 6 January 2014, stated
“Dr Bazley offered his resignation from the CNCC in August 2013, I have accepted his resignation” – and the letter is signed by Minister Durkan. [Interesting Mark H Durkan took office in July 2013]
It seems time flies by when investigating all this fracking stuff. But in the meantime for whatever reason a google search returned Dr Bazley’s Linked In profile. I have taken a wee snapshot of it below.
Dr Bazley confirms he was employed as Regional Director of Tamboran Resources Limited from July 2010 to July 2014. Yet in his statement issued through Webber Shandwick he states
“I began my association with Tamboran Resources in October 2010 and immediately informed the CNCC Chair”
I think we need urgent clarification from Dr Bazley on this issue, especially given his statement released through Webber Shandwick was used by DOE/CNCC to close down discussion of his position on the CNCC.
Other FOI requests were issued which asked when were CNCC members informed of Dr Bazley’s conflicts of Interest ? And where was the register of interests for the CNCC ? The CNCC would routinely look over ASSIs and SAC provisions. . There is Shale and unconventional fossil fuel potential in other areas of Northern Ireland outside where Tamboran are exploring.
Its clear some of these issues weren’t thought through as completely as they should. This from the chair of the CNCC to Minister Alex Attwood (12 March 2012).
Note “Dr Bazley formally informed CNCC of his involvement with Tamboran before he joined the company”. yet its clear that Dr Bazley is having difficulty in deciding when he joined Tamboran.
Indeed Dr Bazley presented on Shale Gas to the CNCC. In relation to who asked who, we were told that CNCC invited Dr Bazley to make the presentation. That was the official line in an FOI response 27th July 2012.
but then this email with the subject “Shale Gas” dated 18th August 2011, appeared in a completely different set of reports from NIEA in January 2014, which appears to show that it was Dr Bazley who instigated the conversation about the presentation.
The full email and CNCC response is here.
It should also be noted that Peter Archdale chaired the Tamboran public meeting in Enniskillen at the Westville Hotel on September 6th 2011. Dr Bazley presented to CNCC on 30th September 2011.
From FOI responses it seems a lack of clarity about who on the CNCC knew about Dr Bazley’s work for Tamboran, and indeed if they did know, when they found out. Finally given Dr Bazley was the Geology expert on the CNCC, did he make it clear that there is Shale potential elsewhere in Northern Ireland, (Both Rathlin and Infrastrata in Ballinalea and near Carrickfergus will investigate the Shale layers), and if not could it be termed misleading.
Indeed Alex Attwood the then Minister, queries whether letting Dr Bazley present to the CNCC was actually a good idea.
The full letter is here
There is a further aspect to Dr Bazley’s CNCC tenancy. He sat on the Planning and legistlation sub-committee (and also the Agriculture, Environment and Forestry sub committee).
In December of 2011 a broad invite with respect to a conference on Planning and legislation was sent to CNCC from Friends of the Earth who hosted the conference. Dr Bazley seems to have been made aware of the conference, and one of the speakers, and believing that person to be presenting on Shale Gas sent an email to that effect.
In the email Dr Bazley refers to a “Conservation Organisation to which I am attached” which is the CNCC, but then goes on to talk about Tamboran, effectively using his position on the CNCC (Concealing it by not stating openly he received the invitation via the CNCC) to further Tamboran’s shale gas agenda.
Perhaps the bottom line to this is one of the statements that Dr Bazley makes.
“Probably I am too close to the shale gas debate to think any of the environmental groupings are debating anything else!”
indeed so close to the shale gas debate he can’t remember when he started with Tamboran. I wonder whether he’ll be asked that question in the Judicial Reviews ? and more importantly what his response will be ?
The Gas Man Cometh ! 
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