Yesterday's commitment by the Polish government not to start construction - that had been scheduled for this morning - has been avoided, at the last minute, a further breach of EU environmental law and irreversible damage to part of Europe's last remaining primeval wetlands and the pristine Rospuda Valley. The groups congratulate the European Commission on its robust action to prevent the destruction, especially its application on July 28 to the European Court of Justice for an interim measure to prevent works beginning within this Natura 2000 site [1].
However, while the Polish government has now pledged that works will not commence in Rospuda Valley Natura 2000 sites [2], other Polish Natura 2000 sites along the route of the international expressway linking Warsaw and Helsinki are still threatened.
NGOs are particularly concerned about the Biebrza Valley, for which regional authorities issued a road building permit earlier this year. This new road includes the construction of a four-lane bridge plus an additional service road through the valley. Biebrza is renowned for its global importance for wildlife, attracting thousands of international visitors each year. Should the project go ahead, at least ten bird species which are protected under EU nature conservation law could be affected. For five of these species (Marsh Harrier, Spotted Crake, Little Crake, Corncrake and Great Snipe) the Biebrza Valley forms a key breeding area in Poland.
BirdLife International, OTOP, WWF Poland, CEE Bankwatch Network and Greenpeace agree that EU funds should be allocated for the most appropriate route for the international corridor.Crucially a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) according to EU Legislation must be completed [3].
The NGOs believe that it is possible to find both an appropriate route for the international corridor and to construct a bypass for Augustow to alleviate safety problems without impacts on sites of European nature importance. Izabela Flor, Director of OTOP, the Polish BirdLife Partner stated: "We urge the Commission and the Polish authorities to cooperate to find such solutions and secure EU funding for their early implementation."
The Polish authorities claim that constructing Augustow Bypass on an alternative route would lead to long delays. However independent experts estimate that the road could be completed by 2012 [4]. In the meantime safety measures such as the installation of crash barriers should be introduced as well as traffic calming measures including road narrowing, roundabouts and speed bumps [5].
"We would urge the Polish government to re-examine a route for the road that will both preserve Rospuda's unique natural heritage and spare Augustow residents their current traffic misery. The government should use the summer months to find a long-term solution in line with EU environmental law."[6] said Maciek Muskat of Greenpeace.
Other contacts:
Ellen Townsend, EU Policy and Advocacy Officer BirdLife International, Brussels, +32 (0)2 2800830
Robert Cyglicki, Polish Green Network / CEE Bankwatch Network, Szczezin, Poland +48 501 101769
Maciek Muskat, Campaign Coordinator, Greenpeace Poland, Warsaw, : +48 509 058 651
Marta Majka Wisniewska, EU Policy Coordinator of WWF Poland, Warsaw, +48 602888143
Malgorzata Znaniecka, Important Bird Area Casework Officer of the Polish Society for the Protection of the Birds (OTOP/BirdLife Poland), Bialystok, +48 605072963
Notes:
[1] See joint press release of BirdLife International, CEE Bankwatch Network, WWF Poland, Greenpeace and Wetlands Conservation Centre of 30 July 2007 at:
http://www.greenpeace.org/eu-unit/press-centre/press-releases2/via-baltica-070730
[2] The ‘Natura 2000’ network of the EU is a network of protected sites which, on about 18% of the EU’s territory, aims to reconcile human activities with nature conservation. Natura 2000 sites are not fenced-off areas, but encourage sustainable and nature friendly land-use and business. They are established under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, which are binding law for all EU Member States (see http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature)
[3] For the moment, the Strategic Environmental Assessment Process is being conducted by the international consultancy group Scott-Wilson, contracted by the Polish National Road Agency. Unfortunately, the Polish government has not waited for the final analysis and has been pushing hard to build one of the particular variant of the international transportation corridor.
[4] The alternative route is only slightly longer (two km) although its longer, it in fact provides a bypass for two towns and is therefore a more cost effective option.
SISKOM, an independent road design NGO which has proposed the alternative route for the Augustow Bypass believes it should be possible to complete this within 5-6 years if there is the will to do so and EU funds support the project. The current Polish law (so called “special road act” amended at the end of 2006) enables a much faster acquisition of land for infrastructure development, which was not previously possible.
[5] European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) (2007) Roads to respect, A European Campaign for better Road Safety Engineering. Website: http://www.etsc.be/R2R.php
[6] Applying the instruments within the EU’s Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive and the Partnership Principle within the framework of the EU Structural Funds.