The Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC) has published this Monday the resolution of the Ministry of Territorial Policy, Sustainability and Security of the Canary Islands Government by which the Environmental Impact Statement of the Red Eléctrica project to install a submarine cable between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura is formulated. No "objections were filed" against the project, although the reports issued by various institutions have been taken into account "for a better evaluation of the project", establishing a series of technical, environmental and safety distance conditions to other submarine cables.
This underground-submarine line, as indicated, will connect the electrical substation of La Oliva (Fuerteventura) with that of Playa Blanca (Lanzarote) and will have three sections, two underground (one on each island) and a submarine cable between both.
In the case of Lanzarote, according to what is stated, the works will affect "a small area of seagrass of about 38,700 square meters that is located in front of Playa de Las Coloradas", as it is "impossible to avoid its passage through this area." However, it is pointed out that "the affected area is around 215.7 square meters, which represents 0.34 of the identified seagrass and 0.13% of the total Cymodosea nodosa seagrass present in the study area."
In addition, one of the conditions of the project is that, with respect to this seagrass, a monitoring be carried out "with a periodicity that covers at least two annual cycles of the species", establishing that if the affected meadow does not recover naturally, "a reforestation plan will be drafted and executed that will include the reforestation of the area directly affected by the laying" and that "as a compensatory measure, an extra surface area, equivalent to twice the surface area affected by the laying, will be reforested on the margins of the meadow closest to the construction area."
Impacts on land and sea "not significant at all"
The project is also being developed in the area proposed as a marine SCI and within the scope of what has been proposed by the Society for the Study of Cetaceans of the Canary Archipelago as a Marine Protection Area for Cetaceans. However, it is pointed out that "the scope of the project does not represent more than 0.0005% of the total surface area occupied by each of the aforementioned spaces."
Thus, regarding the effects on marine fauna "due to the disturbances and noise emissions," it is pointed out that they are considered "not significant at all" and the same is pointed out with respect to the foreseeable impacts on land during the construction phase, also stating that they will be "of short duration."
In addition, the Environmental Impact Study includes an environmental monitoring program "which includes as objectives the monitoring of water quality, spill prevention systems, signage and safety of the land and maritime construction area, prophylaxis measures for submarine machinery, the protocol for action in the event of sighting cetaceans and turtles, the control and proper management of waste, the monitoring of the recovery of Cymodocea nodosa meadows, the restoration of the construction area, the monitoring of heritage and the issuance of periodic reports."
Lanzarote institutions did not issue reports
It should be noted that of the administrations, institutions and entities affected consulted during the public information period, in the case of Lanzarote only the Maritime Authority presented a report, without the Cabildo de Lanzarote, the Yaiza City Council, the Island Water Council, Canal Gestión or the Playa Blanca Fishermen's Association doing so, according to the resolution published this Monday in the BOC.
In fact, of the 27 institutions consulted, only the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, the Eastern Territorial Planning Service, the Ministry of Development, the Coastal Demarcation, the Government Delegation, the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine and the Maritime Authorities of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura sent reports.
