WRITTEN QUESTION E-3691/01

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(17 January 2002)

Subject: Extension of the port of Sagunto (Valencia region, Spain)

The port authority of Valencia is currently considering a scheme for extending the facilities of the port of Sagunto with the objective, inter alia, of siting a regasification plant and other maritime commerce installations at the new wharf. In respect of this scheme, an environmental impact assessment has been published (OJ 194, 14.8.2001), setting out a number of conditions for ensuring the stability of the coastline and preventing adverse effects on the site of Community interest and special bird protection zone known as the Marjal dels Moros.

Nonetheless, numerous complaints against this scheme have been lodged by environmental organisations, trade unions and political parties, on grounds including the following:

- the impact assessment does not take account of the alteration being produced in the shoreline, now worsened by the severe storms of 11 November 2001 (erosion may have a serious impact on the site of Community interest and special bird protection zone); extension of the port would compound these problems;

- the new unloading zone which would be part of the extension could bring about the deterioration of the underwater meadows where the Posidonia oceanica seagrass grows;

- the installation of a thermal power station for the Unión Fenosa company will increase the ozone emissions of the existing port, which, according to a report by the regional environment ministry, over 1995-2000 exceeded, on 268 occasions, the WHO's health protection threshold for such emissions;

- the impact assessment is based exclusively on the data supplied by the CEDEX institute, and takes no account of the opinion produced by the Faculty of Geography of the University of Valencia and specialists from the Polytechnic University concerning the negative impact of the port extension on the protected natural area.

Can the Commission guarantee that the scheme for extension of the port of Sagunto, if implemented in its present form, will not have adverse effects on the site of Community interest and special bird protection zone known as the Marjal dels Moros?

Does the Commission consider that, given the complaints lodged by members of the public, the environmental impact assessment has been carried out in compliance with the Community rules?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2002)

The project has gone through an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the Final decision was published in the Spanish Official Gazette on 14 of August 2001. It can be logically deduced that this assessment has not considered the last storms, which happened in November 2001.

The EIA has taken into consideration the proximity of the Special Protection Area (SPA) and proposal Site of Community interest (pSCi) Marjal del Moro, even though the Dirección General de Planificación y Gestión del Medio on behalf of the Regional Ministry of Environment certifies that it is unlikely that the project would have a significant effect on the aforementioned site. Nevertheless, the EIA has established some preventive measures to control the coastal erosion. For this purpose, a specific monitoring programme will be established.

In relation to the Posidonia beds, the EIA establishes that all dredging activities will be done up to the 10 meter isobath. Also, in the case of dumping using a marine diffusion outlet pipeline, this has to be located at least 3,5 and 4,5 kilometres from the posidonia beds.

According to available information, the Spanish authorities have gone through an environmental assessment procedure, as Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment(1) requires for this type of project. This procedure has included a public participation procedure.

In case the Commission receives new information that might prove that there is an infringement case, the Commission will not hesitate to take all the necessary steps to ensure full compliance with this legislation.

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.