Mossmorran operator hits out at action group over rejected meeting

A Mossmorran operator has criticised a local action group for refusing to meet with it on-site.

ExxonMobil, which runs Fife Ethylene Plant near Cowdenbeath, said it had offered three dates to Mossmorran Action Group (MAG), which were declined.

MAG, at the forefront of raising concerns about plant safety and the impact of flaring on health, hit back, stating ExxonMobil was yet to offer a date for a public meeting.

ExxonMobil had asked MAG representatives to visit Mossmorran on Wednesday to learn more about how the plant is run but the group said its conditions were not met, specifically a request to film.

Stuart Neill, external affairs manager for Fife Ethylene Plant, said: “Despite MAG’s repeated accusations that our company is engaging in propaganda, it is disappointing that demands to film the meeting are being put ahead of what we hoped would be constructive dialogue, particularly as MAG’s meetings with other organisations were not subject to such conditions.

“Our priority, however, is our local residents and responding to the issues that matter to them.

“We are actively reaching out to them and those they elected to represent their interests to agree a series of public meetings.

“Our door remains open for MAG to meet us at any time.”

MAG chairman James Glen said ExxonMobil had refused to attend two public meetings and to offer its own date for such a meeting.

He said: “Exxon have never justified why they have refused to hear directly the concerns of people in the local area at such a forum, and we can only assume it is because they do not want an open meeting at which press and public can judge their performance for themselves.

“What they are having now is private meetings with selected representatives which exclude the press and public and which the Exxon PR machine then extracts maximum positive publicity from.

“None of these meetings alleviate the impacts residents are suffering one jot, nor do they do anything to allay community fears.

“Trust in ExxonMobil, the main culprit behind the most excessive flaring, is at rock bottom.

“PR manoeuvrings, like this statement, show that Exxon haven’t got the first idea of how to build a relationship of real trust and respect with their neighbours.”