Filenews 5 July 2023 - by Angelos Nicolaou
Almost 20 years after conducting the first study for the construction of a coastal road, which will connect Pafos International Airport with the tourist area of Pafos – Geroskipou, the Environmental Authority lights up red again in the implementation of the proposed project.
Essentially, the competent authority has maintained the same position since 2006, when it first rejected the project. A negative opinion was issued in 2009, while the report of the Special Ecological Assessment in 2017 reached the same position.
The Environmental Authority assessed the impact of the project on the species and habitats in the Natura 2000 Special Protection Area (SPA) area "Diarizos, Xeros and Ezousa River Estuaries" and considered that these cannot be sufficiently mitigated by the measures proposed in the Special Ecological Assessment (MEOA) and neither can other mitigation measures be implemented to differentiate the negative impacts on the SPA, which are considered irreversible. Also, the Environmental Authority notes that, if the alternative improvement of the existing road is available, the benefits from the creation of the proposed project do not justify the serious environmental degradation that its construction will bring.
It is noted that the first environmental study for the project was prepared in 2005 and was rejected, with the opinion of the Environmental Authority on 9/1/2006, due to significant impacts on the coastal front by affecting turtle habitat, but also due to operational problems from the proximity to the airport.
A new study followed in 2007, to investigate other alternatives, which concerned the preparation of an Environmental Study and Preliminary Design and, in case of approval by the Environmental Authority, provided for the preparation of construction plans. The opinion of the Environmental Authority was issued on 9/9/2009 and was negative.
This was followed in 2011 by a specialized environmental impact study on issues of sea turtle and fauna protection. The area of the proposed route, as presented in 2016, passes through and occupies 36% of the Natura 2000 site and fragments the habitat, which due to its linear character is one of the most important areas for many species such as harriers, falcons, etc., while it is of particular importance for the nesting of the species characterizing the protected area and the francolina.
According to the evaluation of the MEOA, which took place on 24/10/2016, it emerged that the construction and use of the proposed road will cause the degradation of the protected area. A relevant Special Ecological Assessment (EDA) report was issued on 15/3/2017, which concluded that the project will cause significant negative irreversible impacts both during construction and operation.
Following a further discussion of the issue in the parliamentary committee on Transport, Communications and Works, on 24/02/20217, the competent Departments reviewed the data and pointed out again that, due to the Natura 2000 site, the construction of a bridge over the river cannot be allowed.
The Department of Public Works did not have the opportunity to further deal with the issue of environmental approval of the project and the Ministry of Transport agreed with a proposal put by the President of the Pafos Chamber of Commerce and Industry to the Minister, at a meeting held in Paphos, on 20/1/2020, for the assignment of a new environmental study by the Pafos EPE itself, to consider alternatives. Subsequently, a new MEOA was submitted to the Department of Environment, which was examined on 23/9/2022.
The new location of the project
The new proposed route is 4.1 km long, 11 metres wide and has an average design speed of 50 kilometres per hour. According to the submitted JST, the new proposed road design differs only with regard to the riverside route, which is located about 400 meters south of the previous route that was rejected, while the coastal route remains the same. The new route crosses again this SPA, at a length of about 110 meters and is closer to the mouth of the river Ezousa. According to the proposed project, a bridge will be built, which falls within the SPA. Also, part of the proposed route, about 2 km long, falls within a known passage and corridor for migratory birds.
The environmental impact of the project
The impact on the SPA area from the construction and operation of the proposed project is the following:
● The dispersion of dust during the construction works stage is expected to cause, inter alia, negative effects on the flora of the area, the diversity of ecosystems and the impact of bird feeding, due to its deposition on plants.
● SPA designation species and other bird species in the area are expected to be affected by noise levels.
● Fragmentation and/or loss of habitats used for breeding, nesting and foraging of birds, as well as land use change, will cause permanent habitat degradation in the area.
● Cumulative effects are created by other anthropogenic activities in the area (Pafos airport, military base, wastewater treatment plant, Paphos desalination, residential developments and Government Water Project infrastructure).
● European eel (Anguilla anguilla), which is a species sensitive to hydromorphological modifications, may be affected.
● Impact on the wetland of the estuary of the proposed bridge.
"No" from all government agencies and communities
The Game and Fauna Service's position is that the new alignment of a road through the river and the estuary of the river Ezousa will have a negative impact on the species and cohesion of the SPA area.
The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research considers that this project will have a negative impact on the nesting of turtles on the beach adjacent to the proposed project.
The Water Development Department gave five reasons for its negative position on the project, while supporting the improvement of the existing road, which is expected to have less negative impact on the water body, WDD infrastructure and the environment, while providing the opportunity to improve the existing bridge.
Terra Cypria in its negative position on this project argues that the need for the creation of this new road is nowhere justified.
BirdLife Cyprus took a negative position for three reasons: a) Serious, negative, irreversible impact on SPA designation species, b) impact on priority sea turtle species, c) circumstances have not changed since the negative opinion of the project in 2009.
The Federation of Environmental Organizations of Cyprus took the position that the proposed project should be definitively and irrevocably rejected by the Environmental Authority.
In addition, it is important to note that the presidents of the communities of Timi, Achelia, Agia Marinouda and Agia Varvara disagree with the decision of the Pafos Chamber of Commerce and Industry to continue the route of the bypass to Pafos airport, as originally planned.
INTERVENTION
Do they want to save 10 minutes?
The construction and operation of an access road to Pafos Airport through the river Ezousa, within and near the Special Protection Area (SPAs), has been repeatedly assessed and rejected since 2005, as it was deemed to have serious, negative, permanent and irreversible effects on the conservation objectives and integrity of the SPA area. Indeed, because the competent bodies have not definitively closed the issue since then, since in this case there is a clear alternative that is less detrimental to the conservation objectives and integrity of the SPA site. If possible, consider a project five times in 20 years, spending tens of thousands of euros on studies, just to shorten the existing route by 5-10 minutes, while the construction costs amount to tens of millions of euros.
