WRITTEN QUESTION E-1950/97 by Marco Cellai (NI), Cristiana Muscardini (NI) and Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (4 June 1997)

Subject: Composting plant at Castiglione del Lago

The municipalities of Castiglione del Lago, Paciano, Panicale, Chiusi and Città delle Pieve, in the Lake Trasimene district - an area of considerable importance from the archeological, environmental, agricultural and

tourist viewpoints - have been selected by the Umbria Region authorities as the site for a large composting plant for the disposal of organic waste from local, regional and national biomass.

We wish to stress the lack of transparency and public information as regards the type of project, its funding and environmental impact and, above all, the unsuitable location of the site, which was designated by the Regional Waste Disposal Plan (Regional Law No 44 of 24.8.1987) as an area of priority environmental interest. We are also concerned at the fact that Community funds are apparently to cover a significant proportion of the construction costs, estimated at LIT 30 billion.

With a view to protecting the interests and health of local communities, as well as the local environment, will the Commission ensure that no funding is provided for such projects in this area?

Will the Commission issue a directive to protect the environmental, archeological and rural heritage of the Lake Trasimene district?

Will the Commission conduct a survey which, taking due account of the views expressed by action committees set up to argue against the plan to build the plant, will assess the implications of the project and, possibly, block the request for the relevant funding?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (15 July 1997)

According to the information supplied by the Italian authorities the Umbrian regional administration has never considered the Lake Trasimene district to be a suitable site on which to build a composting plant. In addition no such infrastructure has been provided for in the operational programmes for the area's Structural Funds. It is therefore not likely to receive Community funding.

Lake Trasimene has been suggested by the Italian authorities as an area of Community-wide appeal under Directive 92/43/EEC ((OJ L 206, 22.7.1992. )) on the conservation of natural habitats, and of wild fauna and flora. According to Article 6(3) of that Directive 'all plans or projects that are not directly linked or necessary to the management of the site but which are likely to affect this in a significant manner (...) shall be subject to an appropriate assessment of its impact on the site, having regard to the conservation aims for that site'.

The administration of Perugia province submitted the SuWMIRA (sustainable waste management in rural areas) project, in accordance with the financial instrument for the environment (LIFE). The aim of this project is to collect organic waste in the Lake-Trasimene Basin in order to supply existing composting plants whose operating characteristics will have to be improved in order to provide a high-quality final product (compost). The aim of the project is to safeguard Lake Trasimene by means of (a) preventing subsequent discharges of organic wastes into a lake that has already become eutrophicated and (b) removing the biomass from the Lake in order to reduce anoxia.

However, it must be made quite clear, that the financial contribution under LIFE will be withheld if any new composting plant is built. In this instance a specific condition is set out in the Commission's Decision granting LIFE assistance to the province of Perugia in carrying out the SuWMIRA project.