Marne: the investigating commissioner gives a favorable opinion under conditions to this wind project

We have known favorable opinions has a industrial wind project more enthusiastic than that delivered by the investigating commissioner about the project 4 wind turbines 150 meters high has Morsains. Indeed, his opinion is a subtle mixture of approval of the project, like the vote of nearby EPCIs in the territory (municipalities with 5 favorable opinions and 4 unfavorable opinions, CCBC and CCSSOM), and rejectionlike the opinions submitted during thepublic survey by the citizens who responded (68 unfavorable opinions, 10 favorable).

Favorable opinion subject to conditions

» In conclusion of this public inquiry, I consider, within the sole framework of this project as it was submitted to the public inquiry, that the request for a single authorization for the installation and operation of the wind farm of Morsains participates in achieving the objectives of electricity production from renewable energies, necessary to the growing satisfaction of vital electrical energy needs. “

But further, he tempers this first opinion: “Like any industrial project, it partly affects the natural environment and the populations located in its immediate vicinity. Also, this project must participate more in compensation actions and reduction of effects on wildlife and the landscape. » Which leads to his decision: » For all these reasons, I express a favorable opinion on the realization of this project with two reservations and three subsidiary recommendations. “

It should be noted that, for once, the investigating commissioner took more into account the impact of this project on humans than on bats and birds.

The two reserves

The two reservations issued are as follows: the first is the » creation of one or more wooded areas over a cumulative surface area of ​​approximately 1 hectare, outside the zone of influence of the wind turbines, the objective of which would be to compensate for the effects on avifauna and bats in particular, due to the fact that the two wind turbines E3 and E4 do not respect the recommendations of distance from existing hedges and afforestation on the one hand, and on the other hand, to participate effectively in a action of reforestation of the chalk champagne deeply marked by the anarchic policy of large-scale installation of wind turbines in this territory. “

The second responds to the fears expressed by residents of seeing themselves surrounded by wind turbines in the near future: » Reservation No. 2 is that only the 4 wind turbines project, as it appears on the plan submitted to the public inquiry , will be carried out within the 6 km radius around Morsains, in order to avoid visual saturation and the encirclement of the village. “

The three recommendations

Aware that between the regulations, more than 10 years old, on the distance of wind turbines from homes (500 meters) while since then wind turbine generators have increased very significantly in size, the investigating commissioner suggests that “also, according to the precautionary principle and the recommendations formulated by the Academy of Medicine, it would be necessary to enforce a reasonable minimum installation distance equal to 10 times the overall height. “

Faced with the proliferation of wind projects, which are studied independently of each other, “it is essential to establish development zones, rules and constraints, in consultation with communities, conducive to obtaining reasonable implementations. “

Finally, the last recommendation concerns the light signals on wind turbines, “The flash lamps, placed on each wind turbine, white during the day and red at night, are particularly anxiety-provoking for the population and, not to mention that they must also have a major impact on migration birds. Also, it would be appropriate to seek solutions to reduce or optimize their number, at the level of each wind farm. “

Ultimately, money had a main impact

What is ultimately remarkable in this report from the investigating commissioner is that it points to the real reason for the proliferation of wind projects in the sector. Could it be electricity production? The environmental authority responded in the negative, explaining that this territory was not favorable to wind power development. But it is obviously the money that the different administrative strata will be able to get from it (mainly the community of municipalities, and the municipality concerned) which, moreover, comes directly from the pockets of the inhabitants. Thus, the investigating commissioner admits on page 47 of his report that the only advantage of this industrial wind project is money: “It is well known that the project brings tax revenue to communities. The total amount of taxes that could be collected by the local authorities concerned, estimated for this project at €165,596 for all communities combined, obviously constitutes a significant Source of income. It is certain that wind development contributes to territorial economic dynamics. “

Because if we are interested in electricity production, we can note that at the moment, France exports a very large proportion of its electricity, sometimes by giving money to those who want it. This was, for example, the case on almost 15 occasions since the beginning of April, particularly when there was a lot of wind and all the wind turbines were producing electricity.

Does this mean that wind turbines increase EDF’s financial burden? Who knows…

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