In brief: Jersey’s States Assembly has voted unanimously to add specific PFAS “forever chemical” commitments to the government’s Common Strategic Policy. The amendment, brought by Deputy Arlene Maltman and delivered by Deputy Montfort Tadier in her absence, passed 42 votes to nil. A further unanimous amendment pledged to protect publicly accessible open space in St Helier.
Forever chemicals get a formal footing
PFAS, the collective name for a group of synthetic compounds that break down extraordinarily slowly in the environment and in living things, including the human body, have long been a source of concern in Jersey. Linked to health conditions including cancer and high cholesterol, these so-called “forever chemicals” will now feature explicitly in the government’s Common Strategic Policy, the document that sets out ministerial priorities for the next four years.
Deputy Arlene Maltman brought the amendment, though illness prevented her from taking part in the debate herself. Deputy Montfort Tadier stepped in to deliver a speech written by his colleague, which concluded with a pointed reminder to the Assembly: “We cannot change the environmental legacy we have inherited, but we can decide what legacy we leave behind. Let this Assembly and this government show their commitment to future generations, so that they inherit an Island where clean water, healthy land, and a thriving natural environment are more than just aspirations.”
The amendment inserted two specific references into the CSP. The first commits the government to “improve water quality and address environmental contamination, including taking forward the recommendations of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel.” The second pledges to “invest in improving water quality, including ensuring that the recommendations of the PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel are given full and transparent consideration in developing Jersey’s approach to environmental contamination.”
Environment Minister Mary Le Hegarat confirmed that ministers were supportive of the amendment, telling the Assembly that the panel’s findings would receive full consideration and that a formal government response would set out “where government intends to take action, where further work is needed, and where a different approach may be more appropriate.” The amendment passed with 42 votes in favour and none against, the Jersey Evening Post reports.
St Helier open space and countryside protection
The PFAS vote was not the only unanimous result of the session. Deputy Victoria Li secured overwhelming support for an amendment ensuring no net loss of publicly accessible open space in St Helier over the coming electoral term. Deputy Li, representing St Helier North, said the proposal arose directly from conversations with young Islanders during the election campaign, where a shortage of places to meet friends had been a recurring concern.
Support came from across the chamber, including Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham, Housing Minister Malcolm Ferey and St Helier Constable Inna Gardiner, and the amendment passed unanimously.
A third amendment, put forward by the Council of Ministers itself, pledged to strengthen protection of Jersey’s countryside, coastline, marine environment and biodiversity. Ministers did, however, face criticism for the fact that this environmental commitment had not appeared in the original CSP document at all, only being added after feedback from the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny panel. It is a detail worth noting: scrutiny panels exist precisely to catch such omissions, but one might reasonably ask why the government needed prompting to include basic environmental stewardship in its own priorities document.
Source: Jersey Evening Post
