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With over a week delay in mobilization and applications for permit still pending, order the Kayangel State government through Governor Jeffrey Titiml and Howard James Smith of Palau Energy Pte. Ltd (or PE), for sale are calling on the Environmental Quality Protection Board (EQPB) to expedite review of its application.
Governor Titiml and Smith in their February 23, try 2015 letter to EQPB Chairman Benjamin Adelbai expressed that while they understand the agency’s “prudent requirement” in involving and soliciting comments from various agencies, officials and experts, the state and PE have not received any feedback since submitting their application five weeks ago.
Both parties reminded the agency that it has previously issued a similar permit for oil exploration of Kayangel State in 1996. Titiml and Smith stressed that EQPB has set the legal precedent by approving this earlier permit… and “ we believe our application to drill one exploration test well in the same area as this previous permit with a far more environmentally friendly, and technically advanced drillship… should be approved”.
The application for an earthmoving license permit including an environmental assessment report and oil spill response plan was submitted to EQPB on January 19, 2015.
PE originally planned to conduct the 15-day exploratory drill between mid-February to March 2015.
