WRITTEN QUESTION E-2412/00 by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Wind farm at Sierra la Hez (La Rioja, Spain).
Date: 2000-07-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Spain, bird, protected species, protection of animal life, wind energy

C 136 E/30

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2000)

The Commission has no competence concerning the organisation of the Olympic games. However, the
large infrastructure works intended for the games and other works indirectly linked to them need to go
through the appropriate procedures foreseen in environmental
In this context, Council
Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private
projects on the environment (1) as modified by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997, should be
taken into consideration.

legislation.

As regards the specific projects mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Commission has received
complaints concerning the tennis courts in the Veikou Park, the Olympic village near the National park of
Parnitha and the rowing and canoeing centre in Schinias. In particular, as far as the rowing and canoeing
centre in Schinias is concerned, the area of Schinias was included in the scientific inventory of sites eligible
for the Natura 2000 network prepared by the Hellenic authorities through LIFE-Nature funding. Further-
more, the Schinias marshes have been identified as an important bird area in the recently published revised
list of Birdlife international. Taking the conservation value of the site into account, the Commission already
sent a letter to Greece requesting information about the measures taken in order to ensure its protection.

In the framework of the operational programme for the environment for the period 1994-1999, the
Commission has co-financed (75 %) a project relating to the protection of Schinias for a global amount of
€ 147 000. No Community funding is involved for other projects.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2001/C 136 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2411/00

by Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Recovery plan for the Bonelli(cid:146)s eagle in La Rioja (Spain)

(18 July 2000)

The Commission has granted the Government of La Rioja assistance to implement a recovery plan for the
Bonelli(cid:146)s eagle under the LIFE programme.

One of the nesting sites of the three or four remaining pairs of Bonelli(cid:146)s eagles will be affected by the
construction of a wind farm at Sierra la Hez, which lies between two special bird protection areas.

In the Commission(cid:146)s view,
consequences it will have for the last remaining pairs of Bonelli(cid:146)s eagles in La Rioja?

is this installation compatible with the LIFE programme, given the serious

What measures does it intend to adopt in order to preserve this protected species of great ecological value?

(2001/C 136 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2412/00

by Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Wind farm at Sierra la Hez (La Rioja, Spain)

(18 July 2000)

The Government of La Rioja has approved the installation of a wind park with 75 wind-power generators
at Sierra la Hez, between the special bird protection areas of Peæas de Ireguas, Leza y Jubera and Peæas de
Arnedillo, Peæa Isasa y Turruncœn.

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/31

Does the Commission not take the view that this project may be in breach of both Directive 79/409/
EEC (1) on the conservation of wild birds and Directive 92/43/EEC (2) on habitats?

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2411/00 and E-2412/00
given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 2000)

Bonelli(cid:146)s eagle is a species listed in Annex I of Council Directive 79/409/EEC, of 2 April 1979, on the
conservation of wild birds (1). Pursuant to Article 4.1 of this Directive, Member States are obliged to take
appropriate steps to ensure the protection of the species.

Two special protection areas (SPAs) are sited on the sides of the Sierra de Hez, where it is proposed to
install a wind farm. As regards the first SPA, called (cid:145)Peæas de Iregua, Leza y Jubera (cid:129) Code ES64(cid:146), at
present there is an abandoned territory of Bonelli(cid:146)s eagle, which means no adults breed or live there now.
Furthermore, the settlement of this eagle territory is at some distance (more than 10 kilometres) from the
proposed wind farm. The other SPA, called (cid:145)Peæas de Arnedillo, Peæa Isasa y Turruncœn (cid:129) Code ES65(cid:146), is
an eagle territory, where a breeding couple is present. As the proposed wind farm is located high and
faraway from this eagle territory, it is unlikely to affect it.

The eagle(cid:146)s range has been taken into account in deciding where to install the infrastructure for this wind
farm (e.g. installation of an electric power line).

In this region (La Rioja), the Commission supports a Life project (cid:129) LIFE 1999NAT/E/6419 recovery of the
Bonelli(cid:146)s eagle in La Rioja, Spain- under Council Regulation (EC) No 1404/96 (2), of 15 July 1996
amending Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92 establishing a financial instrument for the environment (LIFE).
The main objective of the Bonelli(cid:146)s eagle recovery project in this region of Spain is to promote the natural
recovery of the species in the Iberian range, and to consolidate the La Rioja population. This Life project
expended almost € 25 000 repairing and changing three electric power lines to avoid eagle collision and
electrocution.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
(2) OJ L 181, 20.7.1996.

(2001/C 136 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2416/00

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission

(18 July 2000)

Subject: Need for a new directive on the assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on

historic, cultural and artistic heritage

The district of Cabanyal-Canyamelar in the city of Valencia, which the autonomous government, the
Generalitat, has declared a site of cultural interest, is currently under threat from a project approved by the
city council to extend Blasco IbÆæez Avenue to the sea. Were the project to go ahead, its route would lead
to the demolition of 1 500 19th-century buildings in the historic centre hitherto afforded protection by the
Valencian Government owing to their (cid:145)unique characteristics and cultural relevance(cid:146). For instance, one of
the buildings earmarked for demolition, the Lonja de los Pescadores (fish market), the oldest of its kind in
Spain and one of the oldest in Europe, ranks amongst the most symbolic examples of European cultural
heritage.

Several local bodies, cultural associations and universities have condemned this attempted assault on the
district, which they have dubbed an (cid:145)open-air museum(cid:146); they maintain that the city council has allowed the