Lawmakers overrode President Nicușor Dan’s veto and voted for the second time to simplify environmental permiting for old hydropower projects in Romania as well as for ones declared vital for national security. Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests Diana-Anda Buzoianu earlier slammed the bill, arguing that it would violate European treaties and that the authorities should only be allowed to make exceptions for individual projects.
After the Constitutional Court rejected a complaint by President Nicușor Dan regarding a new law on environmental permiting for hydropower investments, the Parliament of Romania bypassed his veto by adopting the same legislation without any amendments.
The result is that projects approved and underway before mid-2007 would be cut out of protected areas.
In addition, hydropower endeavors that the Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT) declares essential for national security are exempt from the environmental assessment procedure. The same goes for existing electricity production and transmission systems in protected areas in cases of maintenance and modernization works.
Mutilation of 27 protected areas at hand
The lawmakers first passed the bill in October. Challenging it, the president has cited the European Union’s directives on birds and environmental impact assessments. He pointed out that the explanatory note mostly refers to the spike in energy prices of 2021, without updates.
According to environmental organizations Bankwatch Romania and Declic, the law would mutilate 27 national parks, natural parks and Natura 2000 sites.
Environment minister urged against blanket exemptions
Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests Diana-Anda Buzoianu earlier slammed the proposal in the autumn, arguing that it would violate European treaties. Authorities should only be allowed to make exceptions for individual projects, in her view.
At the time, Buzoianu stressed that no other country has such a mechanism.
Government-controlled hydropower giant Hidroelectrica has complained that it couldn’t proceed with numerous projects. For instance, both the environmental and construction permits for its Răstolița plant have been suspended by court. The facility is 90% finished. The project dates back to the late 1980s.
