the essential
The mayor of Parlan, in Cantal, received a death threat letter following a wind farm project. An ecological association from Lot gives it its support, despite its disagreement with the project.
He couldn’t sit idly by and say nothing. On Monday June 3, Gilles Forhan, the secretary of the APPGE association, Association for the protection of the heritage of the Escaumels gorges, wrote to Michel Teyssedou, the mayor of Parlan, a commune in Cantal located only a few kilometers from the Lot . The councilor received an anonymous letter of death threats following a wind farm project in his area. “A person has been hired to eliminate one of you until the next one if the park were to see the light of day,” said the letter reported by The mountain and also addressed to the owner of the land and two representatives of the company concerned.
Read also :
Wind turbines: why Sousceyrac-en-Quercy plans to install new machines
On the Lot side, Gilles Forhan is opposed to a new wind project in Sousceyrac-en-Quercy. He does not agree with the ambition of the mayor of Cantal. But is not happy. Because never, oh never, will he condone threats. “It is unacceptable for a mayor to receive death threats. The violence is unacceptable. We have chosen to lead a proper fight in court,” explains the representative of the Lot association opposed to the project. So, on June 3, the secretary of the eco-friendly association sent a letter to the mayor of Cantal. ” Our association would like to assure you of its support and firmly condemns any attempt at intimidation (…) We contest the installation of high wind turbines in current conditions. But we refuse with indignation violent actions and threats against people”, formulates Gilles Forhan. In copy of his email: the town hall of Sousceyrac-en-Quercy to show that he is “peaceful”.
“The choice of reflection, not intimidation”
His own struggle is both on another terrain, and with other means of action. “Our association was created in 2014 to avoid the project to install wind turbines at the Luzette park, in Sousceyrac,” he recalls. But it is already too late: the project has been signed. 7 wind turbines are well established, including 3 in Lot and 4 in Cantal. But the association managed to cancel a new project, in 2018, to install 8 additional wind turbines by a developer. “We are not beaten, we argued for the presence of protected species like eagles and red kites. We also argued in favor of bats. We do not destroy biodiversity like that,” says the activist.
A census of the red kite for a fair fight. The Dreal (Regional Directorate for the Environment, Development and Housing) will ultimately say no to the project. But the association is still active: when a project disappears, a new one emerges. “From now on, we are engaged against a project by the municipality of Sousceyrac to install wind turbines. We received a questionnaire last December. According to our information, this project could concern 3 to 4 wind turbines 200 meters high “, continues the secretary of the association. But according to him, despite his strong opposition, there was never any question of passing by force. “We have always chosen reflection and arguments, never intimidation,” insists Gilles Forhan. However, the convictions are intact. He does not budge: “We noticed that herds of animals had pregnancy problems in wind turbine areas.”
