Water management, preservation of biodiversity, integration into the landscape… The future Seine-Nord Canal will inevitably have an impact on the environment. It remained to be seen whether this environmental footprint could block the construction site.
A priori no if we refer to the favorable opinion just issued by the public inquiry commission, which, from March 4 to April 2, widely consulted the populations of the 76 municipalities concerned by the 89 km of section going from Passel, in the Oise to Aubencheul-au-Bac in the North (1).
Nearly 700 opinions and observations
Nearly 700 opinions and observations were collected during this investigation, via letters, registers and meetings with investigating commissioners. Although accompanied by five reservations (including three on questions relating to water preservation in particular) and eight recommendations, this favorable opinion opens the door to the environmental authorization issued by the prefect, a key equivalent to a building permit. The Seine-Nord Canal should normally enter service in 2030.
1. A first favorable opinion had already been issued in 2021 for the section going from Compiègne to Passel (i.e. 18 km).
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