Residents of Krzyżowa, a village in the Gromadka municipality, told us about the matter. A wind farm is to be built there. According to the village residents, the municipal authorities concealed information about the investment from them. The information did appear, among other places, in the Public Information Bulletin on the Municipal Office’s website, but—as the residents argue—who checks there regularly?
The result? Only a handful of Krzyżowa residents took part in the administrative hearing held in October last year. However, when they learned about the plans of the municipal authorities, they decided to raise the issue at a village meeting. It was held at the beginning of April. One of the residents then informed those gathered about the numbers of the plots where the wind turbines were to be built, and that the distance from the nearest buildings would be approximately 800 m. He also spoke about the possible harmful effects of wind turbines on the human body.
As we read in the minutes of the meeting, during the October administrative hearing, the village head of Krzyżowa, Władysław Turecki, “raised the issue that a village meeting should be organised [w sprawie lokalizacji wiatraków – przyp. »ii«], with information about it posted on all noticeboards. In response to this argument, the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Tomasz Matyjewicz stated that anyone who wanted to could [rozprawie administracyjnej] participate in it.” “This does not seem to be what official notification of residents and taking their opinions into account looks like,” one of the participants in the April meeting concluded.
The Village Meeting of the Sołectwo adopted a resolution stating that it “does not consent to locating wind power plants in the area of the Krzyżowa Sołectwo or its vicinity.” In addition, the protesters conducted a survey on who supported the wind turbines. It turned out that more than 90% of the village residents were opposed. Around 200 written declarations were also collected (approximately 300 people are entitled to vote), stating: “I do not consent to wind farms being built less than 3 km from my place of residence.”
What is more, we were told that one of the farmers refused the municipal authorities and investors. He did not want wind turbines to be erected on his plot. He stated that a good reputation in the village was more important to him than money.
The residents also sent a letter to the Chairman of the Gromadka Municipal Council. It reads:
This investment has generated much controversy and emotion from the very beginning. It is difficult for us to understand the reasoning of the Mayor and the Municipal Council. Only a few Krzyżowa residents have superficial knowledge of the planned construction; the rest remains a matter of conjecture, because the Mayor did not seek the opinion of the residents—that is, the people who will have to live in the immediate vicinity of wind turbines for 20–30 years. The local government deliberately made it more difficult for residents to access information about the project, which is contrary to the Act on Access to Public Information. [...]
Why, then, do you want to “treat” us to life in a wind power plant, among infrasound waves that act dangerously on people, even more than 10 kilometres away (through very long waves)? These waves have the most harmful effect on children, pregnant women and the elderly. They cause many disorders of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. They cause cognitive changes in the brain, exhaustion and depression.
We are not opponents of renewable energy sources, because we know that, for the sake of protecting the natural environment, we cannot avoid solutions of this kind. However, we want wind turbines to be located a long way from our homes.
We asked Mayor Dariusz Pawliszczy for comment. “If someone says that we concealed information about the investment, they are lying. What interest would the municipality have in hiding anything from residents?” the mayor says indignantly. “The information did not reach those who were not interested in the matter. Only a handful of residents attended the administrative hearing. And this information has been in the Public Information Bulletin from the very beginning. Therefore, such a statement is irresponsible and hurtful.”
He adds that similar actions by residents have already led to three foundries in Gromadka being “in ruins.” “What is all the fuss now, since there was no objection at the hearing, when comments and suggestions could be submitted?” he asks rhetorically.
Deputy Mayor Tomasz Matyjewicz emphasises that the method of informing the parties and the public complied with the law: “It involved posting a notice about the public consultations on the Municipal Office’s noticeboard, on the noticeboard of the relevant village head (the village of Krzyżowa), and in the Public Information Bulletin. Additionally, although this is merely optional (possible but not mandatory), the mayor held an administrative hearing at the village community centre in Krzyżowa, attended by approximately 10 people, including three interested residents of Krzyżowa. Two people from Krzyżowa reviewed the case documents at the Office during the proceedings (each proceeding lasted from 1.5 to 2 years).
He adds: “The possibility of locating wind power plants on agricultural land was consulted both during the preparation of the local spatial development plan and when issuing decisions on environmental conditions. The Office does not currently plan any additional public consultations. If the local spatial development plan is amended—which will probably be initiated next year—consultations will be held on retaining or removing the provision permitting the location of power plants on agricultural land. The issued decisions on environmental conditions are final (the deadline for appealing by the parties has passed) and legally binding (the deadline for the parties to lodge a complaint has passed).”
We will return to this topic.
(information: editorial team ii)