The preliminary works on the new accesses and railway terminals dependent on the Port of Barcelona on land along the old channel of the Llobregat River have just begun and, with this, the long conflict with environmentalists has been reactivated, who advocate that the possible impact of this project on the protected areas of the Delta, which, in accordance with the requirements of the European Commission, must be expanded. After becoming aware that the work is starting, Depana has initiated legal action with the aim of stopping it.
The start of the works occurs almost a year after the Port of Barcelona awarded them at its board of directors meeting in December last year. This delay is due to the fact that accreditation by the Generalitat of the non-affectation of the Special Bird Protection Zone (SPA) by this action was made as a condition for signing the contract.
It should be taken into account that approval is pending for the expansion of this protection area to meet the requirements of the European Commission. The process, which is still open, has generated great controversy with city councils, farmers and has even motivated motions against the proposal formulated by the Climate Action department in Parliament.
Once the accreditation that there is no impact has been received from the General Directorate of Environmental Policies and Natural Medicine, the contract with the construction companies has been signed and the works began in November, as confirmed by sources from the Port Authority. It so happens that these works, valued at 25 million euros, have a contribution of funds from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism that if not used will already be lost.
The action, which the Port awarded to a temporary union of companies formed by Copcisa and Acciona Construcciones with a completion period of 24 months, includes the relocation of the affected services - the Aigües Ter-Llobregat (ATL) gallery, the brines from the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) and electricity and water infrastructure) – which will have to be relocated, and the consolidation of the land. It includes the construction of the platform on which, in another project yet to be drawn up, the two branches that will connect the railway route with the rest of the network for trains inside the port and the reception and dispatch terminal will be installed, which will require five-way. This is, therefore, the first step in the large complex of loading and unloading stations planned in the old bed of the Llobregat, a key infrastructure for the arrival and departure of goods.
Depana recalls that the works that the Port has activated are based on the Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA) of the new accesses to the port in 2007 and its review in 2013, which “did not comply with the requirement of the preceding EIS of the diversion of the Llobregat Therefore, they do not have a legal basis before the European Commission.” At the time, it reprimanded Spain for not correctly protecting the area of the new channel. Starting these works without the SPA having been expanded and without knowing how this project could affect the new protected areas, which although they do not include the old channel will be right next to it, thus contravening community regulations, according to the environmental entity. For this reason, it has presented an appeal for reconsideration prior to administrative litigation.
