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dam-l ERNs Rivernews: 1.07.00 (Extract)
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from ERN (European Rivers Network) / Roberto Epple
Extracted from ERNs Roivernews_Europe 1.07.00
1. Europe: Water Framework Directive: Capitulation of EP Delegation is a
disaster for the environment
2. Norway's NVE wants stricter hydropower regulations
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1. Europe: Water Framework Directive: Capitulation of EP Delegation is a
disaster for the environment
PRESS RELEASE by European Environmental Bureau (European NGO Coalition)
(29/6/2000) Yesterday’s conciliation talks on the Water Framework
Directive ended in nearly a complete capitulation of the EP delegation
against Council and Commission. This is the first analysis of the
European Environmental Bureau (EEB) the Federation of 135 environmental
citizens organisations in Europe. “This is a disaster for the
environment, embarrassing for environmental ministers, the environmental
Commissioner and the Parliament and a blow to the credentials of the
European Union for protecting the Environment”, comments EU Policy
director, Christian Hey.
The Parliaments delegation and Council agreed on a weak legal
enforceability of environmental objectives and on aspirational goals.
Council’s legal service already criticised the wording “…with the aim of
achieving good water status”. This will allow Members States to do
whatever they want with the objective of this directive! Only the
European Court of Justice will be able to decide whether Member States
will have an obligation or not to reach objectives which will take
probably 30 years and leaving Member States free to get away with
achieving nothing.
The delegation accepted, that the precautionary approach of the 1980
groundwater protection directive will be dismissed. Member states do not
have to prevent groundwater pollution, but get a lot of discretion to
limit pollution. “This will be the major roll-back of an environmental
directive, the EU ever has experienced. Industrial agriculture has got a
blank-check to poison the most vulnerable water body, frequently used as
drinking water resource”, comments water campaigner Stefan Scheuer.
Measures for and further details of groundwater protection will be
delegated to a separate groundwater directive, thus giving up the
original aim to have one integrated piece of legislation for all water
protection.
“The only thing to do now is, to reject this directive and to enforce
the stronger legislation of the 70ties and 80ties”, concludes Christian
Hey.
For further Information please contact:
Christian Hey or Stefan Scheuer
European Environmental Bureau Tel: +32 2 289 1090, Email: water@eeb.org
Irene Bloemink Waterpakt Tel: +31 20 4700772, Email: waterpakt.int@bart.nl
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2. Norway's NVE wants stricter hydropower regulations
NORWAY : June 29, 2000 OSLO - The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy
Directorate (NVE) said yesterday it wanted stricter laws on regulation of
water levels in rivers used for generating hydropower.
It said in a statement that power producers had threatened wildlife and the
environment by keeping water levels below lowest allowed level.
NVE said power producers could profit from reducing water levels below dams
at certain times in order to save the water for power production at periods
with higher prices.
"We react seriously to the breaches on the concession terms and look
forward to a new hydro resource law to be adopted by the parliament soon,"
said NVE chief Agnar Aas.
NVE said it had investigated 30 cases of possible breaches on hydropower
concession rules since 1996 and had engaged Norwegian economic and
environment crime police Oekokrim to pursue such cases.
Oekokrim had fined one power producer and sued another for environmental
crime, it said.
Norwegian hydropower concession rules provides NVE no opportunity to press
charges against companies breaking the regulations.
Story by Jarle Samuelsberg
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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