WRITTEN QUESTION E-0288/02 by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Environmental impact of the high-speed railway in Tuscany: drying up of streams on site of Community importance 37 (Moscheta).
Date: 2002-02-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Tuscany, application of EU law, environmental impact, environmental law, environmental protection, freshwater, rail network

C 205 E/108

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

(2002/C 205 E/120)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0288/02

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(8 February 2002)

Subject: Environmental

impact of the high-speed railway in Tuscany: drying up of streams on site of

Community importance 37 (Moscheta)

Written question P-2368/01 (1) pointed out the danger that the work involved in building the high-speed
railway line would intercept the Moscheta and Felciaione springs (SCI 37) and cause them to dry up. This
actually happened on 20 December 2001. On 8 January 2002 the Regional Council of Tuscany officially
announced that the Moscheta spring had been reduced to nothing as of 20 December 2001 and that two
new sources of water had been found during the excavation work at the Rovigo tunnel opening along the
route to Florence.

Can the Commission ascertain whether Directive 97/11/EC (2) on environmental impact assessment
1.
was respected when the project in question was examined, in view of the fact that the hydrogeological
impact has not been sufficiently taken into account?

2.
Can the Commission take steps to ensure restoration of the environmental conditions obtaining prior
to the start of work on the high-speed railway in the area of SCI 37, in particular as regards water
resources?

Can the Commission say what steps have been taken to safeguard other SCIs threatened by the

3.
project in question (Monte Morello, Sasso di Castro and Gioga-Colla di Casaglia)?

(1) OJ C 81 E, 4.4.2002, p. 161.
(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2002)

As regards the application to the specific case 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 (1) whether before or
after being amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 and of Council Directive 92/43/EEC
of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (2), the Honourable
Member is kindly requested to refer to the reply to her written question P-2368/01 (3).

Further to written question P-2368/01, the Commission opened an own initiative case on the issue raised
by the Honourable Member and a letter was sent to the Italian authorities to request information on the
issue. This letter expressly requested whether the hydrogeological impact of the project was correctly taken
into account under the environmental impact assessment procedure carried out and whether the project is
likely to seriously jeopardise the conservation of the habitats and species, and in particular of priority
habitats and species, within the concerned sites. No written reply has been received yet.

The Commission will not hesitate to take the appropriate steps in order to ensure the observance of
Community law.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(3) OJ C 81 E, 4.4.2002, p. 161.