Communiqué de presse
Huit associations engagent un recours contre le projet de centrales éoliennes en mer au large des plages du Débarquement, devant Arromanches et Courseulles
Communiqué de presse
Arromanches-les-Bains / Courseulles-sur-Mer, le 17 octobre 2016
Après les recours déposés en juillet 2016 et août 2016 contre les projets d’installation et d’exploitation des centrales éoliennes en mer de Saint-Nazaire, et de Fécamp-Etretat, c'est désormais le projet éolien des plages du Débarquement qui est contesté en justice.
7 fédérations ou associations nationales, régionales et locales se sont jointes à l’association Libre-Horizon pour déposer un recours contre le projet d’aménagement et d’exploitation de 75 éoliennes de 175m de hauteur le long des côtes d'Arromanches et de Courseulles, très visibles depuis les plages du Débarquement.
Ces fédérations et associations veulent empêcher la destruction de ce site emblématique des Plages du Débarquement, en cours de classement au Patrimoine Mondial de l’UNESCO. Elles dénoncent la profanation du cimetière marin, où le 6 juin 1944, des milliers de soldats américains, et de toutes les nationalités, ont donné leur vie pour sauver la France et l'Europe de la tyrannie, et où les innombrables épaves des navires de guerre y sont autant de sépultures.
C’est l’un des lieux de mémoire les plus visités en France (800 000 visiteurs en Normandie pour le 70e anniversaire du débarquement en 2014) qui est ainsi menacé par ce complexe éolien.
"Le dossier de classement UNESCO insiste sur le caractère exceptionnellement dense du champ d'épaves jusqu'à 20 km des côtes, faisant de tout ce champ subaquatique une des neuf zones de protection UNESCO. L'implantation du complexe éolien à 10 km des côtes d'Arromanches rendrait ce classement totalement impossible", indique Bernard LOING, président de D-Day Heritage.
Second sujet d'inquiétude, les incidences sur l'environnement et les activités maritimes. "Nous demandons un gel des subventions et des projets éoliens offshore en cours tant que nous n'avons pas les réponses aux questions majeures soulevées notamment par l'Autorité environnementale : effets néfastes des mille tonnes de déchets métalliques rejetés pendant les 25 prochaines années, impacts sur la pêche et la sécurité maritime" précise Jacky BONNEMAINS, Président de ROBIN DES BOIS. Les effets cumulés et transfrontaliers des emprises éoliennes et de leurs installations périphériques sur les écosystèmes, les ressources halieutiques, les mammifères marins, les oiseaux et le trait de côte sont ignorés. Les risques technologiques sont sous-estimés, la sécurité maritime oubliée et l’aspect financier n’est absolument pas pris en compte.
Enfin, ce projet a été accepté par le ministère de l'Ecologie avec un prix très élevé, en contrepartie de la constitution d'une filière industrielle française, aujourd'hui abandonnée (disparition d'Alstom au profit de l'américain General Electric, reprise de 50% du projet par le canadien Enbridge, spécialiste du transport de pétrole par oléoduc). "On voit aujourd'hui le plus grand projet éolien du monde se construire à 90 km des côtes anglaises, à un prix très inférieur à celui de Courseulles-Arromanches. C'est la triple peine pour nous : un prix très élevé, aucune filière locale, un site mémoriel profané" indique Elsa JOLY, présidente de Libre-Horizon.
Les sites mémoriaux et les paysages maritimes, la qualité de notre environnement marin font partie du patrimoine régional et national, de la richesse et de l’attraction de la France. Notre recours a pour objectif de les défendre. "La population s'est largement exprimée contre ce projet lors de l'enquête publique, et le choix de la zone d'implantation s'est faite en catimini. Ce sont des industriels privés qui ont proposé cette zone à l'administration qui l'a acceptée, et s'enferme dans sa position, malgré tout ce que l'on apprend depuis. C'est un vrai loupé", déclare José ROBERT, conseiller municipal de Courseulles, qui a proposé un site d'implantation plus au large, très documenté.
Nous sommes déterminés et très soutenus. Nous sommes certains qu'après l'arrêt du projet éolien du site de Verdun, celui des sites du Débarquement va également être annulé.
Contacts :
Libre-Horizon
Elsa Joly, Présidente
06 84 52 72 77
elsa.joly@libre-horizon.com
Amaury de Lencquesaing
06 03 13 76 09
presse@libre-horizon.com
José Robert
06 88 67 93 03
jose.robert@libre-horizon.com
Belle Normandie Environnement (BNE)
Hervé TEXIER, Président
06 89 58 70 27
h.texier@environnementdurable.net
Catherine BOUTIN, Responsable Collectif PULSE
06 10 28 71 12
catboutin@hotmail.fr
ROBIN DES BOIS
Jacky BONNEMAINS, Président
01 48 04 56 41
contact@robindesbois.org
GRAPE
Michel HORN, Président
02 31 94 03 00
grape.bassenormandie@gmail.com
Brahim BOUFROU, chargé de communication
06 43 49 02 66
Brahim.boufrou@orange.fr
SPPEF
Jean de la Motte, Délégué
06 60 88 04 38
D DAY HERITAGE
Bernard LOING, Président
06 08 60 31 49
Qui sommes-nous ? :
Belle Normandie Environnement (anciennement Basse Normandie Environnement). Créée en 2006
Collectif regroupant 53 associations anti-éoliennes en Normandie, de la Seine-Maritime à la Manche.
Libre Horizon (www.libre-horizon.com). Association créée en 2014, qui rassemble des riverains des 27 communes du Littoral des plages du Débarquement, de Ouistreham à Omaha Beach.
Elle se bat contre l'implantation du parc éolien à 10 km des côtes, et a proposé de repousser la zone au-delà de 20 km des côtes.
Robin des Bois a été fondé en France en 1985 par des pionniers de la défense de l’environnement. L'association a pour objectif la protection de l’Homme et de l’environnement par toutes formes de réflexion et d’actions non violentes.
Le GRAPE (Groupement Régional des Associations de Protection de l’Environnement), créé en 1982, fédère près de 70 associations régionales, départementales, locales ou associées dont le champ d’activité et les compétences englobent la quasi-totalité des problèmes d’environnement : urbanisme, aménagement du territoire, protection de la nature et du littoral, installations classées
La Fédération Environnement Durable est une association loi 1901 française créée en 2007. En 2016, elle regroupe plus de 1000 associations, engagées dans la lutte contre le développement de l'énergie éolienne.
Société pour la Protection des Paysages et de l’Esthétique de la France, créée en 1901.
Association nationale reconnue d’utilité publique depuis 1936 et agréée pour la protection de l’environnement depuis 1978, son objet est de défendre le patrimoine naturel et bâti en France.
Vent de Colère est un réseau de plusieurs centaines d'associations et de sympathisants actifs pour protéger l'environnement et la qualité de vie dans les campagnes et les rivages français.
D-DAY Heritage est une association dont le but est d’obtenir le classement au Patrimoine mondial de l’Humanité, par l’UNESCO, des Plages du Débarquement de 1944 en Normandie.
Press Release
Eight groups are taking part in submissions against the project for offshore wind farms off the landing beaches in front of Arromanches and Courseulles.
Arromanches les Bains / Courseulles sur Mer 17th October 2016.
After the submissions entered in July 2016 and August 2016 against the projects of installation and use of offshore wind farms at Saint Nazaire and Fecamp-Etretat it is now the turn of the wind farm project on the D Day Landing Beaches to be disputed before the law.
Seven federations or associations, national regional and local have joined forces with the association Libre-Horizon to put forward a submission against the the project for the construction and use of 75 wind turbines, each 175 m high along the coast from Arromanches to Courseulles which will be very visible from the Landing Beaches.
These federations and associations wish to prevent the destruction of this symbolic site of the Landing Beaches which is in the process of being classed a World Heritage site by UNESCO. They are against the violation of the marine cemetery where, on the 6th June 1944 thousands of soldiers from America and other nations gave their lives to save France and Europe from tyranny and where countless wrecks of warships remain as graves.
It is one of the most visited sites of remembrance in France (800,000 visitors to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of the landings in 2014) which is under threat from this wind farm site.
“The dossier for UNESCO classification stresses the exceptionally dense character of the area of wrecks up to 20 km from the coast, making all this underwater area one of the nine zones for UNESCO protection. The siting of the wind farm 10 km from the coast of Arromanches will make this classification totally impossible,” stated Bernard LOING chairman of D-Day Heritage.
A second cause for concern is the impact on the environment and maritime activities. “We are asking for a freeze of the subsidies and the current offshore wind farms whilst we do not have the answers to the important questions raised particularly by the Environmental Authority: the harmful effects of the thousand tons of scrap metal during the next 25 years, the impact on fishing and marine safety, “Jacky BONNEMAINS chairman of ROBIN DES BOIS pointed out. The cumulative and cross border effects of the wind farms’ influence and their secondary constructions on the ecosystems, the fishing resources, marine mammals, birds and the coastal features have been ignored. Technological risks have been under estimated, marine safety forgotten and the financial aspect has not been thoroughly worked out.
Finally, this project was accepted by the Ecology Ministry at a very high price in return for the formation of a French industrial group, which is now abandoned (disappearance of Alstom to the benefit of the American company General Electric, the taking over of 50% of the project by the Canadian company Enbridge who specialise in transporting petrol by pipeline.) “Today we can see the largest wind farm project in the world being built 90km from the English coast at a much lower price than that of Courseulles-Arromanches. It’s a triple blow for us: a very high price, no local involvement, and a ruined historical site,” pointed out Elsa JOLY, the chair of Libre-Horizon.
The sites of remembrance and the coastline, the quality of our maritime environment are part of the regional and national heritage, of the richness and attraction of France. Our submission is meant to defend them. “The people have largely expressed themselves against this project during the public enquiry, and the choice of site was done in secret. It was private companies who put forward this area to the government who accepted it and refused to change its mind despite everything we have since learned. It’s a real mess,” says Jose ROBERT a town councillor in Courseulles who has put forward a well-argued idea of a site further out to sea.
We are determined and well supported. We are certain that after the stopping of the wind farm site at Verdun, that of the Landing Beaches will also be cancelled.
Contacts:
Libre-Horizon
Elsa Joly, Présidente
06 84 52 72 77
elsa.joly@libre-horizon.com
Amaury de Lencquesaing
06 03 13 76 09
presse@libre-horizon.com
José Robert
06 88 67 93 03
jose.robert@libre-horizon.com
Belle Normandie Environnement (BNE)
Hervé TEXIER, Président
06 89 58 70 27
h.texier@environnementdurable.net
Catherine BOUTIN, Responsable Collectif PULSE
06 10 28 71 12
catboutin@hotmail.fr
ROBIN DES BOIS
Jacky BONNEMAINS, Président
01 48 04 56 41
contact@robindesbois.org
GRAPE
Michel HORN, Président
02 31 94 03 00
grape.bassenormandie@gmail.com
Brahim BOUFROU, chargé de communication
06 43 49 02 66
Brahim.boufrou@orange.fr
SPPEF
Jean de la Motte, Délégué
06 60 88 04 38
D DAY HERITAGE
Bernard LOING, Président
06 08 60 31 49
Who are we?
Belle Normandie Environnment (formerly Basse Normandie Environnment. Created in 2006. A group of 53 anti wind farm associations in Normandy from La Seine-Maritime to La Manche.
LIbre Horizon An association created in 2014 which unites the inhabitants of 27 towns and villages along the Landing Beach coasts from Ouistreham to Omaha Beach.
It is fighting against the siting of the wind farm 10km from the coast and suggests moving it to beyond 20km.
Robin des Bois was founded in France in 1985 by the pioneers of the defence of the environment. Its objectives are the protection of Man and the environment by all forms of non-violent actions.
GRAPE created in 1982 groups together 70 associations, regional, departmental or local, whose field of activity and skills take into account the quasi totality of the problems of the environment: town planning, improving the locality, protection of nature and the coast, historical sites.
La Federation Environnement Durable is an association created in 2007. In 2016 it contained more than 1000 associations engaged in the fight against using wind generated energy.
Societe pour la Protection des Paysages et de l'Esthetique de la France created in 1901. A national association recognised as being of public usefulness since 1936 and designated for the protection of the environment since 1978, its objective is to defend the natural and built heritage of France.
Vent de Colere is a network of several hundred associations and active sympathisers for the protection of the environment and the quality of life in the French countryside and shores.
D-Day Heritage is an association whose aim is to gain the listing as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for the Normandy Landing Beaches of 1944.
Arromanches les Bains / Courseulles sur Mer 17th October 2016.
After the submissions entered in July 2016 and August 2016 against the projects of installation and use of offshore wind farms at Saint Nazaire and Fecamp-Etretat it is now the turn of the wind farm project on the D Day Landing Beaches to be disputed before the law.
Seven federations or associations, national regional and local have joined forces with the association Libre-Horizon to put forward a submission against the the project for the construction and use of 75 wind turbines, each 175 m high along the coast from Arromanches to Courseulles which will be very visible from the Landing Beaches.
These federations and associations wish to prevent the destruction of this symbolic site of the Landing Beaches which is in the process of being classed a World Heritage site by UNESCO. They are against the violation of the marine cemetery where, on the 6th June 1944 thousands of soldiers from America and other nations gave their lives to save France and Europe from tyranny and where countless wrecks of warships remain as graves.
It is one of the most visited sites of remembrance in France (800,000 visitors to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of the landings in 2014) which is under threat from this wind farm site.
“The dossier for UNESCO classification stresses the exceptionally dense character of the area of wrecks up to 20 km from the coast, making all this underwater area one of the nine zones for UNESCO protection. The siting of the wind farm 10 km from the coast of Arromanches will make this classification totally impossible,” stated Bernard LOING chairman of D-Day Heritage.
A second cause for concern is the impact on the environment and maritime activities. “We are asking for a freeze of the subsidies and the current offshore wind farms whilst we do not have the answers to the important questions raised particularly by the Environmental Authority: the harmful effects of the thousand tons of scrap metal during the next 25 years, the impact on fishing and marine safety, “Jacky BONNEMAINS chairman of ROBIN DES BOIS pointed out. The cumulative and cross border effects of the wind farms’ influence and their secondary constructions on the ecosystems, the fishing resources, marine mammals, birds and the coastal features have been ignored. Technological risks have been under estimated, marine safety forgotten and the financial aspect has not been thoroughly worked out.
Finally, this project was accepted by the Ecology Ministry at a very high price in return for the formation of a French industrial group, which is now abandoned (disappearance of Alstom to the benefit of the American company General Electric, the taking over of 50% of the project by the Canadian company Enbridge who specialise in transporting petrol by pipeline.) “Today we can see the largest wind farm project in the world being built 90km from the English coast at a much lower price than that of Courseulles-Arromanches. It’s a triple blow for us: a very high price, no local involvement, and a ruined historical site,” pointed out Elsa JOLY, the chair of Libre-Horizon.
The sites of remembrance and the coastline, the quality of our maritime environment are part of the regional and national heritage, of the richness and attraction of France. Our submission is meant to defend them. “The people have largely expressed themselves against this project during the public enquiry, and the choice of site was done in secret. It was private companies who put forward this area to the government who accepted it and refused to change its mind despite everything we have since learned. It’s a real mess,” says Jose ROBERT a town councillor in Courseulles who has put forward a well-argued idea of a site further out to sea.
We are determined and well supported. We are certain that after the stopping of the wind farm site at Verdun, that of the Landing Beaches will also be cancelled.
Contacts:
Libre-Horizon
Elsa Joly, Présidente
06 84 52 72 77
elsa.joly@libre-horizon.com
Amaury de Lencquesaing
06 03 13 76 09
presse@libre-horizon.com
José Robert
06 88 67 93 03
jose.robert@libre-horizon.com
Belle Normandie Environnement (BNE)
Hervé TEXIER, Président
06 89 58 70 27
h.texier@environnementdurable.net
Catherine BOUTIN, Responsable Collectif PULSE
06 10 28 71 12
catboutin@hotmail.fr
ROBIN DES BOIS
Jacky BONNEMAINS, Président
01 48 04 56 41
contact@robindesbois.org
GRAPE
Michel HORN, Président
02 31 94 03 00
grape.bassenormandie@gmail.com
Brahim BOUFROU, chargé de communication
06 43 49 02 66
Brahim.boufrou@orange.fr
SPPEF
Jean de la Motte, Délégué
06 60 88 04 38
D DAY HERITAGE
Bernard LOING, Président
06 08 60 31 49
Who are we?
Belle Normandie Environnment (formerly Basse Normandie Environnment. Created in 2006. A group of 53 anti wind farm associations in Normandy from La Seine-Maritime to La Manche.
LIbre Horizon An association created in 2014 which unites the inhabitants of 27 towns and villages along the Landing Beach coasts from Ouistreham to Omaha Beach.
It is fighting against the siting of the wind farm 10km from the coast and suggests moving it to beyond 20km.
Robin des Bois was founded in France in 1985 by the pioneers of the defence of the environment. Its objectives are the protection of Man and the environment by all forms of non-violent actions.
GRAPE created in 1982 groups together 70 associations, regional, departmental or local, whose field of activity and skills take into account the quasi totality of the problems of the environment: town planning, improving the locality, protection of nature and the coast, historical sites.
La Federation Environnement Durable is an association created in 2007. In 2016 it contained more than 1000 associations engaged in the fight against using wind generated energy.
Societe pour la Protection des Paysages et de l'Esthetique de la France created in 1901. A national association recognised as being of public usefulness since 1936 and designated for the protection of the environment since 1978, its objective is to defend the natural and built heritage of France.
Vent de Colere is a network of several hundred associations and active sympathisers for the protection of the environment and the quality of life in the French countryside and shores.
D-Day Heritage is an association whose aim is to gain the listing as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for the Normandy Landing Beaches of 1944.