WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1942/98 by Ernesto CACCAVALE Infringement of Community regulations on environmental protection when creating a wind farm in Alto Sannio (SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER)
C 320/2 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 11. 1999 (1999/C 320/002) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1942/98 by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission (11 June 1998) Subject: Infringement of Community regulations on environmental protection when creating a wind farm in Alto Sannio A wind farm comprising some 600 turbines is being created in the area of Alto Sannio (province of Benevento, Italy). Although the area is scheduled for reforestation and the European Community has already allocated funds for the conservation of the countryside and nature and the creation of a mountain tourist area, the Campania region has taken advantage of other Community contributions to construct some power lines, some underground and some above ground, to supply electricity to the ENEL network. There is reason to believe that the wind farm has been planned in direct defiance of European directives on the protection, regeneration and exploitation of the region from the point of view of the countryside, environment, history and archaeology. The dangerous consequences of the undertaking are visible: rocks uprooted, springs destroyed, millions of cubic metres of rubble scattered on mountain tops, excavation work in areas that are naturally prone to subsidence. Moreover, no arrangements were made to consult the public as expressly provided for in Council Directive No 85/337 (1) of 27 June 1985. Can the Commission answer the following: 1. 2. Is the granting of Community funds for incompatible projects in the same area not an enormous waste of resources? Is the creation of this farm, albeit with the laudable intention of creating a source of alternative and renewable energy, not the result of a thoughtless regional policy that could cause irreversible ecological damage with all sorts of serious consequences for woodlands, fauna and forests? 3. Are there not grounds for initiating infringement proceedings against Italy for failure to implement and comply with Community directives on environmental and regional protection? (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985, p. 40. Supplementary answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (7 October 1998) To supplement its answer given on 24 June 1998, the Commission is now able to provide the following information. In the ‘Fortore’ area, a total of 168 turbines have been or are shortly to be installed for the production of wind energy. Of these, 44 were financed under the operational programme (OP) for Campania for the period 1994-1999, measure 5,2 ‘Energy’. The Campania region, the authority responsible for implementing the OP in question, has confirmed that all the projects in question have received the authorisations required, including those of the communes and the other local authorities concerned and those of the Ministry for Cultural and Environmental Assets. According to information notified by the regional authorities, the areas in which the construction of the turbines is envisaged are not affected by afforestations or restrictions aimed at protecting the countryside. Also, no other project that is incompatible with the project in question has been financed in the same area under Structural Fund operations. In any event, the Commission, within the Monitoring Committee, will ask the Italian authorities to check the compatibility of projects in the same area and, should the need arise, to implement appropriate measures to overcome any difficulties identified. As regards compliance with Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, the Commission will ask the Italian authorities what procedure was followed in the case under consideration