Joint ALDE Seminar European Parliament

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Joint ALDE Seminar - European Parliament
CoR "Natura 2000 an opportunity for or an
obstacle to development"  -Natura 2000 from the
regional point of view-
Romania case studies National Highway 66
Exploitation of the Buzau River
Mr John Samad SMARANDA Senior Councillor
Directorate for Nature Protection, Biodiversity
and Biosafety Ministry of Environment and
Sustainable Development, Romania
Bruxelles 16 April 2008
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Case study National Highway 66
Actual situation
The National Highway 66 is currently classified
as National Highway, the road being merely a
smaller forest road. The national and regional
authorities have identified the need for
modernizing this road, aiming to boost regional
development, particularly through tourism.
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Case study National Highway 66
Natura 2000 Sites and other protected areas

• Sites of community importance (SCIs)
• Nordul Gorjului de Vest
• Retezat
• Domogled Valea Cernei

• Special protection areas (SPAs)
• Domogled Valea Cernei
• Retezat

• Other protected areas
• Retezat Mountains National Park
• Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park

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Case study National Highway 66
Potential impact of road modernization

• Opportunities for regional development
• Increasing the auto traffic between 2 important
  touristic areas (Cerna Valley and Jiului Valley)
• Development the tourism infrastructure and
  infrastructure in connection with tourism
  (sewage, energy transport etc.)
• Increasing the number of employees in tourism,
  and reducing the number of unemployed people in
  Jiului Valley
• Development the tourism in relationship with
  Natura 2000 sites and other protected areas in a
  spectacular region.

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Case study National Highway 66
Potential impact of road modernization

• Negative impact for Natura 2000 sites
• Pressure to the specific species and habitats
• Habitat fragmentation, in special for the species
  that need to migrate form/to the both sites of
  the road
• Changing in behavior of different species due to
  tourism development (for example bears)
• Potential destroying of some habitats due to
  tourism infrastructure
• Effect of car and tourism pollution to the
  specific species and habitats.

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Case study National Highway 66
Difficulties in project development

• For first sector of the road Câmpul lui Neag -
  Cantonul Silvic Câmpusel, the developers have
  applied for permission to construct in November
  2006. The local environment agency requested more
  details in documentation
• Completion of the Report of Environmental Impact
  Assessment Study in order to design some
  crossings for fauna species and for evaluation
  the potential impact of road after works, in the
  period of exploitation.
• Redesigning of the Zonal Urban Plan for the area,
  in order to show the environmental impact
  assessment of the future developments along the
  road.
• Consideration the Retezat National Park
  Management Plan and Natura 2000 sites.

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Case study National Highway 66
Difficulties in project development

• Also, the scientific council of Retezat National
  Park requested the followings
• The entrances from the road over the fauna
  crossings has to be signaled in order to not be
  used as parking places
• Establishment of the sectors with speed limit
• Completion the Environmental Impact Assessment
  study with a realistic estimation of traffic
  type, intensity of traffic (including the periods
  and vehicles type), with proposals for negative
  effects limits.
• At present, the documentation, with all
  information requested, it is in processing of
  evaluation at the local environment agency.

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Case study National Highway 66
Difficulties in project development

• For the second sector Cantonul Silvic Câmpusel
  Cerna, the request for the environmental permit
  was not received by the local environmental
  agency, but it will be necessary
• Elaboration of the Environmental Impact
  Assessment Study taking into consideration the
  presence of Natura 2000 sites in area.
• Designing the Zonal Urban Plan for the entire
  area, including the environmental impact
  assessment.
• Consideration the Domogled Valea Cernei
  National Park management plan and Natura 2000
  sites.

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Case study Exploitation of the Buzau River
Actual situation
The pollution of Buzau River and neighboring
regions was caused by a company working on the
exploitation of sand and gravel from the major
and minor river bed of Buzau River. The company
received an environmental permit in 2005, with a
validity of three years, until October 2008.
Natura 2000 Sites In May 2007 it was taken
the decision to integrate the region of Lunca
Buzaului into Natura 2000.
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Case study Exploitation of the Buzau River
The impact of exploitation

• Benefits for local communities
• increasing the capacity of the riverbed, that is
  necessary, especially after the flood from 2005
• providing protection against the floods for the
  economic and social benefit of the region
• as compensatory measures to the negative impact
  of local communities, the local community of
  Sapoca has asked for the construction of a road
  and a speed limit restriction for the trucks.

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Case study Exploitation of the Buzau River
The impact of exploitation

• Negative impact for Natura 2000 sites and for
  local communities
• Pressure to the species and habitats from the
  site of community importance Lunca Buzaului due
  to 80 of the exploited region is parts this
  site.
• During the exploitation process, there were some
  complains from the local people about the
  problems (air dust emissions, excessive noise,
  vibrations) caused by the use of big trucks
  transporting gravel.

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Thank you for your attention !