analysis of mine spoil , harbour silt and river water quality

Summary

A request for analysis of mine spoil, harbour silt, and river water quality in the Foxdale and Glen Rushen areas was closed because the applicant failed to provide requested clarification within 28 days. The authority noted that some information was already publicly available and other data could not be located without more specific location details.

Key Facts

• The request was closed on 2020-08-17 due to lack of clarification from the applicant.
• The authority identified 13 separate information requests within the original submission.
• Data for Beckwiths Mine and Dixons Vein was not currently located.
• Some analysis for Cross Vein Mine and the Eairy area was located, with Eairy data dating from 1985 to 1991.
• The Peel Harbour silt analysis report was already publicly available via planning application PA18/01293/B.

Data Disclosed

• 2020-03-09
• 2020-08-17
• 2020-06-29
• 28 days
• 13 separate requests
• 1985
• 1986
• 1988
• 1991
• PA18/01293/B
• 2018

Exemptions Cited

• Information already freely available to the public
• Request too broad requiring clarification to avoid significant burden

Original Request

Good morning , I am trying to determine what work and analysis has been carried out on the historic mines around the Foxdale and Glen Rushen areas as well as the quality of the river water and any material that has been washed out from the mines into the environment. Please can you provide the following. 1. All analysis of the silt deposited in Peel Harbour 2. All analysis of the mines spoil heaps and material on the surface remains from the Foxdale and Glen Rushen areas including but not limited to: a. Beckwiths Mine b. Cross Vein Mine c. Dixons Vein d. The Foxdale mines in the area of higher Foxdale e. The mine workings in and around the Eairy area 3. All analysis that has been carried out on any water discharges from or near the following the Foxdale and Glen Rushen areas including but not limited to: a. Beckwiths Mine, b. Cross Vein Mine c. Dixons Vein d. The Foxdale mines in the area of higher Foxdale e. The mine workings in and around the Eairy area 4. All analysis of the water quality from the river Neb, the Foxdale river and all tributaries and catchment areas including the dates and location where the samples were obtained. 5. Which departments or interested groups and organisations were consulted or contributed on the closure of the are known as Snuff the Wind (Cross Vein mine) to off road motorcycles and the general public.

Data Tables (6)

Full Response Text

1 From: Sent: 17 August 2020 16:25 To: ' Subject: FW: 1220181, FOI, clarification, Mine Spoil and Harbour Silt Dear , Further to the email below from my colleague, as you have not provided the requested clarification within 28 days we are closing your request. If you still require the information or would like anything further please do not hesitate to contact us. If you would like to submit a further FoI request please take note of the guidance provided using the link in the email below and make your request as specific as possible, in subject matter, location, timeframe etc.

Kind Regards

Business Change Manager/Freedom of Information Co-ordinator (DEFA, OFT and RTLC) Tel:

Data Protection Officer (DEFA, OFT and RTLC) Tel:

Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St Johns, Isle of Man. IM4 3AS
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From: )
Sent: 29 June 2020 14:48 To: ' Cc:

Subject: 1220181, FOI, clarification, Mine Spoil and Harbour Silt

Dear ,

Further to your FOI request to this Department received on the 9th March. We are now able to work more normally but please accept my apologies that this has taken us so long to provide any sort of response. Thank you for your patience.

Your request is divided into five sections, two of which are again divided into five sub-sections. In total we have identified 13 separate requests for information. So that we can prioritise your requests and ensure that consideration of the information does not create a significant burden on the Department I ask you to look at the information below and let me know if you think the information noted below would provide the information you require. Please also prioritise which information you would like to receive first.

We will also need to consult within and outside of the Department in order to consider what may be released so please do not take any of this as confirmation that the information noted below will be released.

1. All analysis of the silt deposited in Peel Harbour A report is already publically available as part of the planning application PA18/01293/B which can be found at 2 https://services.gov.im/planningapplication/services/planning/planningapplicationdetails.iom?ApplicationR eferenceNumber=18%2F01293%2FB The Department is not obliged to provide information under FoI if it is already freely available. Does this report meet your needs?

2. All analysis of the mines spoil heaps and material on the surface remains from the Foxdale and Glen Rushen areas including but limited to: a. Beckwiths Mine, no data currently located b. Cross Vein Mine, data located c. Dixons Vein, no data currently located d. The Foxdale mines in the area of higher Foxdale, no data currently located; if you can provide a detailed map noting the precise locations of your interest we could refine the search e. The mine workings in and around the Eairy area, data located, information from 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1991

3. All analysis that has been carried out on any water discharges from or near the following the Foxdale and Glen Rushen areas including but limited to: a. Beckwiths Mine, no data currently located b. Cross Vein Mine Some information already publically available https://www.gov.im/media/1367473/river-quality- report-2018.pdf Other information located c. Dixons Vein, no data currently located d. The Foxdale mines in the area of higher Foxdale, no data currently located; if you can provide a detailed map noting the precise locations of your interest we could refine the search e. The mine workings in and around the Eairy area, no data currently located; if you can provide a detailed map noting the precise locations of your interest we could refine the search

4. All analysis of the water quality from the river Neb, the Foxdale river and all tributaries and catchment areas including the dates and location where the samples were obtained. Some information already publically available https://www.gov.im/media/1367473/river-quality-report- 2018.pdf Does this report meet your needs? Other information has been located

5. Which departments or interested groups and organisations were consulted or contributed on the closure of the are known as Snuff the Wind (Cross Vein mine) to off road motorcycles and the general public.
   Once we have compiled your response we should be able to answer this question.

For future guidance on making a FOI request please see https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of- information/how-to-make-a-freedom-of-information-request/#accordion This specifically states “Aim for one question per request. Asking for lots of information within one request can make it difficult to understand what you are really requesting.”

We ask that you respond within 28 days of the date of this email.

If anything in the above is unclear or if you wish to talk about this please do not hesitate to call me on 249798 or 686576.

Kind regards,

Information Executive 3 Tel:

Data Protection Office (DEFA, OFT and RTLC) Tel:

Department of Environment, Food & Agriculture Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St Johns, Isle of Man. IM4 3AS
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