The coordinator who works against the large wind farms that are intended to be built in their valleys and villages (Steribar, Erroibar, Ezkabarte, Anue, Olaibar, Txulapain, Berrioplano, Orkoien and Cendea de Olza) explained that the projects presented by Sacyr are one, Navarra 2 and Navarra 4, and not three.

Among the three, 29 wind turbines and 141.7 megawatts of power were added: “The three projects are located next to each other and continuously share ownership, evacuation line and electrical substation. The distribution in three projects is not based on technical criteria, but on state intervention at the time of processing, since projects with a power greater than 50 megawatts must be processed in the ministry and not in the autonomous community”.

The Ministry is requested to suspend immediately the administrative procedures being carried out before the Government of Navarra, until it is clarified who has the material and environmental competence for their processing and resolution. A copy of this complaint has also been submitted to the Government of Navarre for information: “We are awaiting the action of the Ministry and we know that it has asked the Foral Administration of Navarra to send it the material.”

Ensuring citizen participation

In addition, it has requested the Department of Industrial Management, Energy Infrastructures and Mines of the Government of Navarra to extend the 30-day period for public information.

According to the Coordinator, there are three reasons why no claims can be made to the projects within the allotted time: firstly, because of the complexity and length of the documentation submitted to the public, which contains documents, plans and technical elements that require a specialized and professional study.

Secondly, because the fact that the project is divided into three, triples the documentation and therefore makes it difficult to submit claims. Thirdly, public exposure during the months of August and September, precisely during the holiday period, does not provide contacts, requests reports from professionals or provides documentation.

They say that with this short term, the right to participate is impaired, “and the individual and collective possibility of citizens expressing their interests and demands is broken, in order to influence the decisions of the administration”.

According to Haize Berriak, the municipalities (Steribar, Valle de Erro), the councils (Enderitz, Otsakain, Orrio, Zildotz) and the associations of neighbours (Salvemos Egües, Urbi Auzo Elkartea), among others, have requested that the deadlines be extended.