THE ANNULMENT ACTIONS AGAINST THE 3 Ind-RES PROJECTS IN CRETE that are integrated into the “FAST TRACK” procedure

PAN-CRETAN NETWORK AGAINST INDUSTRIAL RES October 12, 2012 THE ANNULMENT ACTIONS AGAINST THE 3 Ind-RES PROJECTS IN CRETE that are integrated into the “FAST TRACK” procedure In June, the Interministerial Committee for Strategic Investments, published three Ind-RES projects that are integrated into the fast track procedure. We declared that we would appeal against the decisions and called on political parties, local government and all Cretans to join the struggle to prevent this crime. Today, feeling great joy and responsibility towards the population of the island, we inform you that we submitted timely (10/11/2012) in front of the Greek Council of State the most populous actions ever filed in Greece. The response was unprecedented and created such momentum that, if we could have extended the deadline, we would be collecting signatures of natural persons, municipalities and associations for a long time! Appeals were signed by power of attorney to our lawyers: • 1275 people from every corner of Crete! • 10 Municipal Councils: Municipality of Aghios Nikolaos Municipality of Ierapetra Municipality of Lassithi Plateau Municipality of Archanes/Asterousia Municipality of Anogia Municipality of Mylopotamos Municipality of Amari Municipality of St. Basilios Municipality of Sfakia Municipality of Kantanos/Selino • 2 National organizations: Association of University Graduate Architects (SADAS) – National Union of Architects and Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environmental Federation • 4 Pan-cretan bodies: Geotechnical Chamber of Greece (GEOTEE) – Cretan Branch Agrotourism Union of Crete Speleological Society of Crete Organic Farmers Association of Street Markets of Crete • 78 professional, environmental and cultural institutions from across the island: Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Selino – Greek Mountaineering Association of Chania – Professional Breeders Association of Chania – Civilizing Educational Association of Kakodikio – Traditional-Cultural Association of Selino – “Psilaphi” Cultural Association of Worldwide Eastern Selino Descendants – “Kantanoleon” Cultural Association of Koustogerako –“Lefka Ori” Association for the Protection of the Environment and Nature of Selino  – Association of Parents and Guardians of Primary School Pupils of Kantanos Chania – Greek Mountaineering Club of Rethymno – Agronomy Society of Rethymno – “Atlas” Cycling Association of Rethymno – Cultural/Educational Association of Rethymno – Cultural Association of Gerakari – Church of Dormition Sellia, Diocese of Lambi Sivritos and Sfakia – Kat-ART-i Artists Association for the promotion of art – Cultural Association of Apodoulou – “Syvritos” Cultural Association of Thronous – Kleisidi  – Cultural Association of Meronas Amari – Rethymnian Association of Amari Descendants – Cultural Association of Vistagi, Association of Professional Accountants of Freelancers of the Prefecture of Rethymno – Cultural Association of Seli – Friends of Amari – Patsos Culture and Effort – Cultural Association of Apostoli – Cheesemakers Association of Rethymno – Employees Association of the General Hospital of Rethymnon – Women Social Club of Amari – Dentists Association of Rethymno – Cultural and Educational Association of Garazos Mylopotamos – Sailing Club of Rethymno – “St. George” Cultural Association of Myrthios Rethymno – “St Eleftherios” Cultural Association of Atsipopoulo – Residents Association of Rethymno Old Town – “Epimeneidis” Cultural Society of Panormo  – Medical Association of Rethymno – “Phoenix” Hotelier Association of South Rethymno – Association of Parents of the 3^rd High school of Rethymno – Friends of Voluntary Solidarity Clinic of Rethymno – “Prophet Helias” Cultural Association of Maroulas Rethymno – “Nipoi” Traditional Folkloric Club of Kato Valsamonero – “Sammitos” Cultural Association of Opsygia Amari – Environmental Association of Rethymno – “Phoenix” Non Profit Company of Sustainable Development Applications – “Zoforos” Culture, Environment, Animal Welfare – Solidary and Collaborative Management – Ecological Intervention of Heraklion – Architects Association of Heraklion – “SEKNI” Breeders Association of Heraklion – Beekeepers Association of Eastern Crete – Embellishing Cultural and Naturalist Association of Vasilies – “Iosif Filagrios” Kapetaniana – Association of Friends of the  Environment Farangiana – Cultural Association of Sokaras – Development and Environment Club of Gournes – Citizens initiative for the preservation, promotion and sustainable development of Pediada – Cultural Association of Marathos – “Astirakas” Cultural Association of Astiraki – Cultural Association of Gonies Malevizi – Agricultural Cooperative of Tylisos – “Nymphes” Cultural Association of Paraniphi – Cultural Association of Kroustas Mirabello – “Anavlochos” Cultural Association of Vrachasi Merambelo – Ecological Movement of Mirabello – Educational and Cultural Association of Milatos – Employees Association of the General Hospital of Agios Nikolaos Crete – “Lato” Cultural Educational and Developmental Association of Kritsa – Agricultural Cooperative of Zakros – Friends of the Folkloric Museum of Palekastro – Environmental Association of West Itanos – Educational Association of Zakros Sitia – Association of Professionals and Manufacturers of Palekastro – Local Agency of Land Reclamation (T.O.E.V .) of Zakros – Association of Tourist Accommodation Owners and Managers of Itanos – Cultural Association of Orino – “Stravodoksari” Cultural and Folkloric Association of Stavrochori – Association of Parents and Guardians of Primary School Pupils of Koutsouras. The Annulment Actions were lodged against the Ministers of Development, Competitiveness and Shipping, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, the Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, and the Interministerial Committee for Strategic Investments (DESE), requesting the annulment of their three decisions. The grounds of appeal, in summary, are: For the project: A) “Crete Green Island, which includes the construction of 36 wind parks with a total capacity of 1.005,10 MW in Crete, and their interconnection with the National Interconnected System for Electricity Transmission via common submarine cable” owned by ELICA GROUP (formerly SARRAS) and B) “Wind Power Generation System (A.S.P.I.E.), which includes the construction of 33 wind parks with a total capacity of 1.077MW, in the four prefectures of Crete and their interconnection with the National Interconnected System for Electricity Transmission via submarine cable” owned by TERNA ENERGY SA: 1. At the time of the decision of the Interministerial Committee for Strategic Investments, there was no approved Strategic Plan for the Interconnection of Islands, nor had any work been included for the interconnection of Crete with the System in the Transmission System Development Study (MASM). Also there was no official planning regarding the development of electricity generation (conventional and renewable) in Crete, let alone for projects of this size. 2. The proposed interconnection is not only absent from any general planning for the interconnection of Crete, but on the contrary, foresees the construction of interconnection infrastructure exclusively for the projects of the particular companies with the continental system and not the construction of interconnection infrastructure with the island’s grid. 3. These projects, for 33 and 36 wind parks respectively, are not “projects” (under Directive 85/337) but “plans” (under Directive 2001/42) and their integration to the provisions of Law 3894/2010 can not be approved since they are subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment under Directive 2001/42. 4. The description of the particular wind parks is vague, since the decision does not include the location of the stations, but only the total installed capacity in MW. Therefore we do not know which of the wind parks planned by each company in Crete, is included or not into the process of Law 3894/2010. It is obvious that neither these projects can be licensed through the procedure of Law 3894/2010 or any other wind park each company chooses to install in Crete in order to reach the desired capacity. Likewise, if some wind parks proposed by the company are not licensed (for environmental, archaeological or any other reasons), they cannot be “replaced” by other unspecified parks in order to reach the desired capacity. 5. The installed capacity of wind parks allowed to operate in Crete by direct application of the Special Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development for Renewable Energy Sources, exceeds the target the entire country is set to reach by 2020! This investment onslaught makes imperative the evaluation of the Regional Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development of the island i.e. the only tool that can reconcile on the one hand the requirements of the specific Frameworks and on the other the broader perspectives of the region for sustainable development. For the project :: “Integration of the investment project “Construction of solar thermal power plant of 70 MW total capacity in the area Fournia  County of Itanos, Municipality of Sitia, Prefecture of Lasithi, Crete of 378.306 MWh of annual energy production”, owned by “SOLAR POWER PLANT LASITHI ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES Ltd” The project is set to occupy ​​1800 acres, within an area marked by the Regional Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development of Crete as an “area of low intensity tourism development” and comes in stark contrast with the general character of the region. In the particular region, actions have already been implemented in the sense of low intensity tourism development, such as the project GEO.TOPI.A. The approved budget for the project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and national funds, amounts to EUR 890,000.00 and the perspective is to integrate the region in the European Geoparks Network. In Sitia there are currently operating wind parks of 95 MW installed capacity, production licenses have been issued for RES projects of various technologies totalling 621,15 MW capacity and applications for power projects of at least 750 MW capacity are pending evaluation. In Crete, RES facilities totalling 234,84 MW capacity are currently (March 2012) operating, participating with 20% in the total electricity production. For all three projects One of the main reasons for the need to revise the Regional Frameworks for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development is the ratification of the European Landscape Convention. The implementation of such projects in Crete before the revision of the Regional Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, undermines the value of various landscapes of Crete which, in their current state and according to the common course of these procedures will qualify as “landscape zones” of international, national or regional value in accordance with Decree 10106/2011. Typical cases are the Geopark of Mt. Psiloritis where 210 MW (70 turbines of 3 MW) and 223,1 MW, (97 turbines of 2,3 MW) are projected in the two wind power projects and the plateau in Fournia, where the solar thermal power station is projected. Those of us who gave all our efforts for this action to happen, everyone who signed, we all know very well that it is just one of many battles ahead in order to prevent the conversion of Crete into a huge energy plant. Just imagine that the total,planned “investments” sum up to 6.518 MW!. The imposition of  Industrial – RES in 69 mountain tops of Crete, with 796 wind turbines, requiring thousands of tons of concrete for the foundations and kilometres of new roads and transmission networks, and a solar thermal plant in the plateau in Sitia, and all this through a “Fast Track” procedure needed to be answered massively, loudly and clearly as we have done. The now massive, pan-Cretan struggle continues. CRETE WILL NOT BECOME AN ENERGY FACTORY, NEITHER A SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE WE WILL PROTECT IT!