Question for written answer E-003466/2019 to the Commission Rule 138 Rosa D'Amato (NI)

Subject: Composting plant in Sassinoro

The Regional Executive has authorised the establishment of a composting plant on land in the municipality of Sassinoro. This plant will process 22 000 tonnes of organic waste per year and will be located in the vicinity of the ‘Alta Valle del Fiume Tammaro’ site of Community importance (IT80200001), apparently without any ‘VIA’ or ‘VINCA’ environmental impact assessments being conducted.

The plant will, it seems, be located over an aquifer in the (BN) system which is the subject of a water purification project financed by the Italian Inter-ministerial Committee for Economic Planning, CIPE, with Ministry of Infrastructure managed funds.

Given the water supply problems in the city and province of , owing to pollutants seeping into wells, the Campolattaro basin is vitally important for sustainability and the economy.

Construction of this waste management plant would be at odds with the goal of using the aforementioned resources for drinking water from the Campolattaro basin, given the likelihood of soil and water being contaminated.

Benevento Province’s legal bar association summarised the misgivings concerning authorisation of this plan in a note of 26 September 2019, while the Regional Executive said on 11 September 2019 it would only be able to ascertain the impact of the plant after its entry into service.

Does the Commission consider that the Italian authorities:

– Are ensuring that this site of Community interest / special area of conservation is protected in accordance with Article 11 of Directive 92/43/EEC?

– Are they implementing Article 4 of Directive 2000/60/EC on water protection?

– Are they putting the precautionary principle into effect?

PE642.537v01-00