92002E0038

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0038/02

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(23 January 2002)

Subject: The Valgrisenche dam

In the 1950s, despite opposition from the Valle d'Aosta Autonomous Regional Council which drew attention to the dangers arising from the fact that some of the mountains overlooking the lake were subject to landslides, a huge dam was brought into service in the Valgrisenche valley in the Valle d'Aosta. This arch-gravity dam spans a distance of 394 metres at its crest and is 5 metres wide.

Following the Vajont disaster in the Veneto region, in which 1 909 people died on 9 October 1963, when a landslide caused the dam to overflow, the electricity company decided to convert the Valgrisenche dam for run-of-river use, thus emptying the reservoir.

However, the huge wall of the dam still towers over the small mountain village, and has an obvious impact on the environment and the landscape. Thought has recently been given to the possibility of dismantling the dam (which, in its present state, no longer serves any useful purpose) with a view to rehabilitating the area, with only the run-of-river facilities being retained.

Given the above, can the Commission say whether, if need be, a special Community project could be implemented or existing funds drawn on for this purpose?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2002)

The single programming document (SPD) for 2000-2006 for the Valle d'Aosta, a region eligible for Objective 2 of the Structural Funds, focuses on social and economic redevelopment projects in order to make firms more competitive, particularly in the field of tourism. The two priorities of the SPD are the improvement and diversification of manufacturing industry and technical assistance; neither priority contains a measure likely to be able to part-finance the dismantling of the Valgrisenche dam.

Moreover, under Regulation (EC) No 1655/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE)(1), the Honourable Member's request does not fall within the scope of this instrument. The valley is not located in a Natura 2000 site, which is a condition for eligibility under LIFE-Nature, and the project cannot obtain finance under LIFE-Environment because it is not innovative in character.

(1) OJ L 192, 28.7.2000.