Power plant project rejected again: ‘No legal remedies available’

* Photo: Loç Valley Preservation Platform / Twitter

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The Council of State has once again rejected the hydroelectric power plant planned to be constructed in Loç Valley in Cide, Kastamonu.

On July 16, 2020, OR-YA Energy company appealed to the Council of State against the ruling of stay of execution given for the power plant planned to be built in Turkey's Black Sea province of Kastamonu. 

The 6th Chamber of the Council of State has rejected this appeal as well, indicating that "there are no longer any legal remedies available" for the file.

The District Municipality of Cide has announced the decision on Twitter. "Good news: The 6th Chamber of the Council of State has said the last word about the Cide Hydroelectric Power Plant project, which the people of Loç valley have long been struggling against," the municipality has said.

"Rejecting the appeal of the company named Orya Energy, the Council of State's ruling has read, 'There are no legal remedies available':"

Güzel haber;
Uzun yıllardır Loç yöresi halkının mücadele ettiği, Cide HES projesine Danıştay 6. Dairesi noktayı koydu. Orya Enerji adlı şirketin temyiz talebini reddeden Danıştay, kararını ‘düzeltme yolu kapalı’ ifadesiyle aldı.

Sarı Yazmalı kadınların isyanı nihayet kazandı.. pic.twitter.com/Gil8OuS5xC

— Cide Belediyesi (@cidebelediyesi) October 15, 2020

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 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.

On October 24, 2019, the 5th expert examination was done in the region. The Kastamonu Administrative Court, on March 18, 2020, cancelled the positive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report given for the hydroelectric power plant project based on the expert report.

The company filed a lawsuit, requesting the revocation of the ruling of cancellation and the stay of its execution. The 6th Chamber of the Council of State unanimously rejected this appeal in July 2020. Orya company appealed against this rejection as well.

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. (TP/SD)