Locals show a banner protesting the Orya company (Photo: kastamonugazetesi.com.tr)
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A positive environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for a hydroelectric power plant in Loç Valley in the northern Kastamonu province has been canceled by a court order.
Orya company, which had to leave the valley after the Council of State ruled against the construction of the plant in 2016, had renewed its application to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanism for an EIA report, citing a notification titled "2009/7".
After the ministry gave a positive environmental report, a lawsuit was filed against the project. Kastamonu Administrative Court decided for an expert review to be conducted.
According to the review on October 24, 2019, which was the fifth expert review for the plant and was also attended by the court board, a hydroelectric power plant would have a negative impact on the ecosystem, ecological balance, natural and cultural values in the area.
While the company stated that around 300 trees would be cut down for the plant, locals claimed that eight thousand were already cut down and a further 200 thousand trees would be cut.
After the review, Kastamonu Administrative Court canceled the Cide Regulator and Hydroelectric Power Plant Project, stating that it would have serious negative consequences for the Küre National Park.
What happened?
The construction work for the plant first began in 2009.
232 people from Cide filed a lawsuit for the cancelation of the environmental report and suspension of the project on December 15, 2009. Locals had staged a sit-in protest for 28 days against the project.
The construction yard was sealed by Kastamonu Special Provincial Administration on December 31, 2010, over unlicensed construction.
Kastamonu Regional Administrative Court ruled for the suspension of execution of the project because of "irreversible destruction" caused by the power plant project.
The court canceled the positive EIA report on July 11, 2011. After the Council of State overturned this decision, construction work resumed in the area. Locals filed another lawsuit for the cancelation of the project. The Council of State Head of 14th Chamber canceled the report in August 2015 on the grounds that it would cause destruction to environmental assets and ecological balance.
Orya company again made an application to the Ministry in late 2016 and submitted an EIA report in February 2017. The ministry approved the report.
Küre Mountains National Park is one of the WWF's 100 forest hotspots and 200 ecological regions determined by WWF in terms of nature protection in the world. It has 157 endemic plant species. (HA/VK)
