In the newspaper “Istotne Informacje” (issue 30), we reported that on September 14, a meeting concerning the construction of a wind farm in Warta Bolesławiecka municipality was held at the Community Center in Tomaszów Bolesławiecki. More than 200 residents of the municipality protested against the wind turbines. During the meeting, Janusz Chudyba spoke about the dangers posed by living in close proximity to wind power plants.
According to the doctor, people exposed to infrasound over a long period may suffer from headaches, sleep and concentration disorders, and other ailments. Mayor Mirosław Haniszewski assured residents that no binding decision had yet been made and that only an environmental decision had been issued. The mayor also argued that it was not too late to block construction of the wind farm.
The discussion was also joined by Jolanta Loritz-Dobrowolska, secretary of the Society for the Protection of Nature and Landscape from Zgorzelec: “The mayor said that an information bulletin about the construction of the wind farm had been published last year. Who among you saw it [odpowiedziała jej cisza – przyp. red.]? Mr. Mayor, there are so many people in this room and no one saw this bulletin? Perhaps this meeting should have been organized a year ago...”
The residents of the municipality present at the meeting voted against the construction of the wind farm. The mayor announced that he would comply with the protesters’ decision.
Green Bear responds
In an email to our editorial office, Beata Butwicka, spokesperson for Green Bear Bolesławiec 202, wrote:
After two years of cooperation between Warta Bolesławiecka Municipality and GB Bolesławiec 202 sp. z o.o. regarding the wind farm project, the position of the Mayor and the Municipal Council suddenly changed radically. And all because of 149 signatures. [Podkreślenia pochodzą od rzeczniczki – przyp. red.]
Szczytnica, Wilczy Las, Lubków and Tomaszów Bolesławiecki are the localities near which the wind turbines were supposed to be built. According to information on the Warta Bolesławiecka Municipal Office website, 3,447 residents live there. On September 28 this year, the Warta Bolesławiecka Municipal Council adopted a decision obliging the Mayor to introduce changes to the Local Spatial Development Plan being prepared, involving the removal of provisions permitting the development of wind energy in the municipality. In its decision, the Municipal Council referred directly to the residents’ negative opinion, particularly to the 149 signatures collected under a petition resulting from the village meeting held on September 14 this year.
For two months, GB Bolesławiec 202 [...] has been attempting to provide residents with information about wind farms in general and about the one that was supposed to be built in the municipality. The investor was not permitted to present its arguments either at the village meeting on September 14 this year or at the Municipal Council meeting on September 28. It is currently also unable to organize a meeting with residents because, strangely enough, all the halls in the localities where the meeting was supposed to take place and which are managed by the Municipal Office, despite having been reserved in advance, turned out to be occupied.
What caused the Warta Bolesławiecka Municipal Council, after two years of transparent information policy and an open investment process, to decide that the less-than-10-percent share of residents who signed the petition should determine the deprivation of this municipality of such an important investment and substantial income? What are the officials’ motives? Are they the same as those of the residents? If so, why are they protecting the residents from information so strongly?
We will return to this matter.
(information ii)