Damage to the environment caused by the installation of five wind turbines in Umbria and Marche

12.10.2016

Question for written answer P-007702-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Laura Agea (EFDD)

On 23 January 2014, the company Alto Tevere Energie Rinnovabili (A.T.E.R.) S.r.l. applied for permission to build a wind farm comprising five wind turbines with a capacity of 3.3 MW.

Two regional authorities are jointly responsible for the environmental impact assessment, Umbria and Marche.

Specifically, the places affected by the project will be firstly Cima Le Fienaie in the communes of Città di Castello (Province of Perugia) and San Giustino (Province of Perugia) and secondly I Laghi in the commune of Mercatello sul Metauro (Province of Pesaro and Urbino).

The site chosen for the project is not exposed to the 2 800 hours of wind per annum which are required in order for the turbines to operate. Furthermore, the wind farm will be installed close to an area forming part of the Natura 2000 network.

Marche Regional Administrative Court has already ruled, in 2013, that there was a high risk that the Umbrian landscape would be spoiled, when it overturned a decision by Marche Regional Authority and the Government to install 17 wind turbines.

With all due regard for the need to promote the development of alternative energy sources in order to attain the European Union’s targets for sustainability and self-sufficiency in energy, could the Commission answer the following questions?

1. Does it consider that the above project would fail to attain the objective of energy self-sufficiency in view of the insufficient number of hours of wind at the site?

2. Does it consider that the project is likely to spoil the neighbouring area which forms part of the Natura 2000 network?