WRITTEN QUESTION E-1413/97 by Nel van Dijk (V) and Doeke Eisma (ELDR) to the Commission (22 April 1997)

Subject: Rocket launch site on the island of El Hierro

The Spanish government and the autonomous government of the Canary Islands intend to build a civilian rocket launching base for satellites and space probes on the Canary island of El Hierro. Inhabitants of El Hierro have drawn my attention to a number of deeply disturbing aspects of the project, on the basis of an exhaustive report drawn up by the Bechtel National company and commissioned by the 'Instituto Canario de Investigatión y Desarrollo' (Canaries Research and Development Institute), which is responsible for the practical implementation of the launch base.

The project entails major encroachments on El Hierro's natural environment. Toxic emissions from a comparable installation in French Guyana have been shown to affect an area 30 kilometres in diameter ((Mundo Cientifico, June 1996. )). El Hierro has a diameter of about 15 kilometres. In addition, the rocket fuel to be used, consisting of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide, poses a specific danger. Hydrazine is lethally toxic and nitrogen tetroxide combusts on exposure to oxygen. An unusually disturbing feature of the report is that it also recommends not informing the local population in advance of safety precautions to be taken in an emergency.

1. Does the Commission share my view that a civilian launch installation is an infrastructural project on which an environmental impact assessment is necessary?

2. Is the Commission informed of the project's direct and indirect impact on:

- human, animal and plant life;

- soil, water, air, climate and landscape;

- interactions between variables in the foregoing two categories;

- property and cultural inheritance.

3. Does the Commission consider that the population of El Hierro have received sufficiently objective information about the project's impact?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (20 June 1997)

The Spanish authorities have informed the Commission that as yet no decision has been taken regarding the rocket launch site project. They specify that as part of the examination of project viability, a study was made of issues relating to possible locations, requisite infrastructure and safety of operations. This study has been forwarded to the Government of the Canaries and to the Parliament of the Autonomous Community, which are now examining it. The Parliament should pronounce on the project shortly.

The Commission would point out that under the terms of Article 2 of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment ((OJ L 175, 5.7.1985. )), projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue inter alia of their nature, size or location must be made subject to as assessment with regard to their effects before consent is given. This provision applies to the projects listed in Annexes I and II to the Directive. As rocket launch sites appear in neither Annex, an environmental impact assessment cannot be required under Directive 85/337/EEC.

The Commission has nonetheless reminded the Spanish authorities of their obligations under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora ((OJ L 206, 22.7.1992. )), Article 6(3) of which lays down that any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of a special area of conservation for birds but likely to have a significant effect thereon must be subject to appropriate assessment of the implications for the site in view of the site's conservation objectives.

The Commission is not in a position to judge whether the population of El Hierro received sufficient information on the consequences of the project. However, it has asked the Spanish authorities to keep it informed of ongoing developments as regards this project.