Council of State upholds local court ruling: 'EIA needed' for Orhanlı geothermal wells

* Photo: Nature Association

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After the local court, the Council of State has also canceled the "No Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) necessary" decision given for the drilling wells planned to be opened for a geothermal power plant project to be launched in the Orhanlı village in İzmir's Seferihisar.

While the recent decision of cancelation has been handed down by the 6th Chamber of the Council of State, the İzmir 3rd Administrative Court also pronounced its ruling in the lawsuit filed by the locals against the EIA decision. The local court unanimously ruled on September 24, 2021 that the decision of "No EIA necessary" given for the wells should be canceled.

After an appeal was lodged against the local court ruling by the Karen Kahramanmaraş Power Generation Inc. company, the owner of the project, the 6th Chamber of the Council of State has upheld the local court ruling. That being the case, the geothermal drilling wells project in the 157 block, 2 plot of the Orhanlı Village has been completely canceled.

What happened?

After they learned that the drilling activities ongoing as part of the Geothermal Power Plant Project in the Orhanlı village were left outside the scope of the EIA process with the decision of "No EIA necessary" dated 2016, 99 villagers and the Orhanlı Village Culture Nature Youth and Sports Club Association filed a lawsuit and demanded the cancelation of the project.

Villagers of Orhanlı had also protested the company for occupying the wedding and picnic sites of the village without getting any permission and using them as a construction site. Amid villagers' backlash, the Municipality of Seferihisar officials removed the construction site.

After the same company attempted to open a road by unlawful means through the private-registered lands and forest, villagers had to fence their lands and they filed a criminal complaint against the company officials by applying to the Seferihisar Prosecutor's Office.

The villagers of Orhanlı also filed a criminal complaint against the company that cut 26 centennial olive trees.

As a result of the lawsuit filed by villagers, an expert appointed by the İzmir 3rd Administrative Court prepared a report regarding the project.

The expert report found that the project posed a risk of polluting surface water and groundwater as well as crops and soil in the region; the area where the drilling wells were to be located was not right; and the ensuing heavy metals and gasses might harm the environment and public health, considering that the drilling wells were close to residential areas.

In the light of these findings, the local court concluded that the Geothermal Power Plant project could not be undertaken outside the scope of the EIA regulations and overturned the decision of "No EIA needed". (TP/SD)