Upgrading of the KW Tarifa windfarm — Cádiz — Andalusia (SAC 0000049: Los Alcornocales)

22.11.2016

Question for written answer E-008721-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Florent Marcellesi (Verts/ALE)

There have been five official publications on the plan to upgrade the KW Tarifa wind farm, which is adjacent to others and has been designated as being of public benefit, and objections have been lodged by six environmental/social organisations. No response was given to the first publications of March and April, and they were republished with changes in October 2016.

The wind farm was built in 1993 and is located within an SAC along the Europe-Africa bird migration corridor. It does not meet the requirements of the Habitats Directive. There are no data for the number of bird deaths from 1993 to 1998, while 257 bird deaths were recorded from March 1998 to November 2015. A volunteer team of wind turbine technicians has calculated that the projected number of bird deaths following the upgrading of the wind farm during its useful life would be more than 770, most of them endangered species.

1. What steps will the Commission take to ensure that the authorities issue proper publications, provide reasoned replies and avoid acting in a way that leaves the public feeling cheated, with the possible result that citizens no longer participate, owing to widespread distrust at what they perceive as an abuse of authority?

2. In the face of irreversible climate change, does the Commission believe that upgrading a wind farm in an SAC can be designated as being of public benefit without providing the corresponding justification and obtaining legitimate consent?