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In 2002 the
Bulgarian company Tessa Energy Ltd. applied for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the initial project phase of
a wind farm of 12 turbines. The project is funded by a German bank. It is planned to build a total of 25 turbines in
two phases. The first 12 turbines will be situated on a 110 ha plot of land on the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast between
the town of Balchik and the beach resort of Albena.
Each of the 12 turbines will be mounted on a 80-meter-high
pylon with 3 vanes each of 40 metres in length. The turbine blades describes a circle of 0,5 ha in diameter; a total airspace
of 6 ha. for all 12 turbines.
The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds/BirdLife Bulgaria (BSPB) was asked
to contribute to an assessment of the possible risk for birds: it was made clear however that a negative conclusion would
not be welcome. On this basis the BSPB refused to participate. Instead the investors commissioned an Environmental Assessment
Report (EIA) from Dr. Dimitar Nankinov, Head of
the Bird Ringing Centre of the Institute of Zoology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS). A one page report, produced by two amateur birdwatchers from Dr Nankinov's ringing team, concluded after 16 days of field observations
that there was NO high risk for birds on an annual basis. At the public hearing the BPSB expressed in writing their strong
concerns, particularly as no attention was paid to recommendations in Bern Convention reports on wind farms; and the sketchy
nature of the survey on which the EIA was based. In addition the BPSB launched a full autumn migration season survey with
emphasis on soaring birds (pelicans, storks, raptors and cranes) in the the planned wind farm location from the 9th August
15th October 2003. This survey was funded by the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation and involved 731 hours of observations
and 1937 man/hours field work conducted by 21 qualified and experienced volunteer experts from BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria, 11 British birdwatchers and 1 German ornithologist. Simultaneously
a survey of night bird migration and a survey on bats were conducted.
The most significant result of this intensive
survey was that that the planned wind farm site meets the BirdLife International
criteria for an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Global Importance in particular as a "bottle-neck site". During the survey some
87,000 storks, 7,000 birds of prey and 9,000 pelicans passed through the area, the majority at heights between 0 - 120
m. All together more than 200,000 migrating birds of 122 species were observed during the survey. Other highly important conclusions
resulting from the survey include:
- An intensive autumn migration
of birds takes place through the location
- Predominantly species of national,
European and global conservation concern migrate over the location
- The wind farm will pose a serious
threat on the populations of many bird species migrating from Germany to the Urals
- As an identified IBA of Global
Importance the site should be designated as a NATURA 2000 site upon accession of Bulgaria to the EU.
Despite this report,
and subsequent interventions by the BPSB, the Regional Inspectorate of the Ministry for Water and the Environment (MOWE) were
keen to rush through a decision on the EIA and, at the final session of the Bulgarian Expert Ecological Council the BSPB was
sidelined with a vote of 11-1 against. The approval of the wind farm project
was confirmed on 27 October 2003. The BSPB/BirdLife Bulgaria has appealed against
the decision to the MOWE and has also established an alliance of nine NGOs, which appealed to the court of justice against
this administrative act.
WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Within the
next months it will be extremely important to muster effective public opinion against the wind farm project in order to persuade
the Bulgarian government to reconsider their decision. You can do this by mailing
or faxing the letter below and/or by signing the online petition prepared by the BSPB here.
SEND EMAIL DIRECT TO THE MINISTER
Email addresses:
*A letter from the
Proact Team - 780 signatures - was sent by post to Minister Arsenova on 24 November 2003
A wind farm project in BALCHIK WILL PUT europe's second
most important bird migratory route AT GREAT RISK
To:
Mrs. Dolores Arsenova
Minister
of Environment and Waters of the Republic of Bulgaria
William Gladstone Street 67
1000 Sofia
Bulgaria
Subject: Wind farm development near Balchik, Bulgaria
Dear
Minister Arsenova,
Bad news spreads fast!
The information
that representatives of your ministry have approved the construction of a wind farm near the town of Balchik by Tessa Energy Ltd, centred on the crucial migratory crossroads "Via Pontica" and used annually
by tens of thousands of migratory birds, has now been given international publicity.
Observations
carried out by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) during the autumn migration period of 2003 have proved
that at least 87,000 storks, 7,000 raptors and 9,000 pelicans pass through the site, qualifying it as an Important Bird Area
of Global Importance and an obvious contender for designation as a NATURA 2000 site upon accession of Bulgaria to the EU. Experience elsewhere of the erection
of wind turbines on such significant bird routes have shown that the risk of large numbers of casualties is extremely high.
This concern
is shared by ornithologists, environmentalists and nature lovers worldwide. We all urge you therefore to take into account
the relevant recommendations of the Conventions on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, as well as
on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (as developed by BirdLife International) and revoke the decision
of the local Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Waters in Varna.
In the conviction
that you will give the matter your personal attention, and take positive action to forestall this potential threat to European
migratory bird populations, we remain,
yours faithfully,
(Name and
Address)
CONTACTS
The Minister
for Environment and Water
Mrs. Dolores Arsenova
William
Gladstone Street 67
1000 Sofia
Bulgaria
Email: feedback@moew.government.bg
Fax: +359 2 986 25 33
with copies to:
Sergey DERELIEV
Head of Conservation Department
BSPB / BirdLife Bulgaria
PO Box 50
BG-1111 Sofia
Bulgaria
Tel./Fax: +359 2 72 26
40
e-mail: sergey.dereliev@bspb.org
www.bspb.org
and
Proact International
P.O. BOX 11B
40003 Ustí nad Labem 3
Czech Republic
email: info@proact-campaigns.net
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