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)
Date: 1998-06-11
Institutions: CACCAVALE, European Parliament
Subjects: Italy, ecological balance, electrical energy, environmental protection, fund (EU), historic site, wind energy

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.