WRITTEN QUESTION P-0190/01

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 January 2001)

Subject: European Court judgment against Ireland of 21 September 1999 Case C-392/96

Would the Commission assure this Member of the European Parliament that the proposals put forward by the Irish authorities in response to the European Court judgment of 22 September 1999 will specifically ensure that appropriate testing will take place before any further consent is given for afforestation or reforestation in those areas of Ireland identified as acid-sensitive?

Extensive areas, particularly in the west and north-west, are characterised by rain-fed peat soils with high concentrations of organic acids where the geology is unable to absorb the effects of the increasing acid levels from afforestation. Other areas, particularly in the east, where catchments are dominated by quartz-bearing bedrock, with a shallow, carbonate-free soil overburden, areas with sandy, siliceous soils, and highly-weathered old leached soils are also vulnerable. Extensive Irish research over the last ten years has demonstrated that the acidification in these catchments promotes dissolved organic matter and dissolved aluminium which can occur in a toxic form, leading to a coating of mucus on the gills and extensive mortality.

The streams most severely affected by afforestation in these areas lack acid-sensitive invertebrates and are too acid to support self-sustaining populations of salmonoids, particularly as the research demonstrates that acid episodes tend to occur in winter and spring, a particularly vulnerable period in the salmonoid life-cycle. Sites with the most acid waters showed the lowest survival of salmon ova, and eggs developed abnormally brittle shells during incubation. Mayflies are absent from most acid sites in forests and these sites hold a lower diversity of invertebrates. Fish are entirely absent from sites otherwise suitable. All of this

has been demonstrated by Irish research and subject to repeated per-group review, yet afforestation and reforestation continues unchecked in these areas as no assessment mechanism is in place. Will the Commission ensure that an appropriate assessment mechanism is specifically included in any revised Irish Environmental Impact Assessment procedure so as to protect these areas from this environmental damage?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(22 March 2001)

The Commission is aware of the issue of potentially significant impacts of afforestation projects on acid-sensitive areas in Ireland. It was amongst the issues raised by the Commission in its pleadings to the Court, and the Court specifically refers to it in paragraph 69 of its judgment, where it notes that afforestation may cause the acidification or eutrophication of waters.

To date, Ireland has not communicated the necessary measures to comply with the judgment in relation to afforestation projects, and the Commission has therefore sent a Letter of Formal Notice under Article 228 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty.

The Commission confirms that it will take into account the issue raised by the Honourable Member when examining any measures proposed by Ireland to satisfy the judgment.