Red from the Environmental Authority for the project concerns the installation of photovoltaic panels for the production of electricity inside a private plot in the community of Omodos near the Special Protection Zone Ha-Potami.
The Environmental Authority, in formulating its position, took into account the information submitted under Article 23 of the Law, the views of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Forests, the Game and Fauna Service and the previous assessment of the Environmental Authority.
The Rationale of the Decision
With the possible development of this photovoltaic park, conditions will be created for further disturbance of the natural habitat in the already carried out excavation in 75% of the plot, with the effects on the natural vegetation, of the plants of the Red Book for Flora of Cyprus.
The area of this development is part of an environment with steep slopes, sensitive to changes in the geological background and the removal of natural vegetation. In the previous application for the construction of a photovoltaic park, despite the fact that the Environmental Authority stated that the developer could apply again in a way that does not affect the geological background of the area, constructing levels of different altitudes – structures) did not and instead created a flat terrain with a large slope for the completion of the project will require further soil changes and environmental impact to enable the transfer of construction materials and equipment to complete the project.
The proposed plot borders with argaki which has a strongly shaped riverbed with river vegetation that extends 8 -10 meters inside the plot. Because it seems that the photovoltaic park will extend to the borders of Argaki, the necessary complete absence of vegetation at the borders of Argaki, in combination with the steep slope of the plot creates conditions for impending erosion, soil movement and the influence of the strong tributary. inside the loam and wider along the course of the watercourse. It is important to note that, while the Information Form states that the location of the photovoltaic system will be based on the Policy of the Department of Water Development for developments affecting registered watercourses, which provides for the prohibition of intervention in the riverbed less than 15 meters from the boundary of the riverbed (located on the west side of the plot), the recent on-site inspection on that plot showed that the developer proceeded with the clearing beyond five meters as determined by the Water Development Department.
The proposed project is located at an altitude of 767 meters, about 1.5 kilometers south of the community of the village of Omodos and 1.2 kilometers east at a direct distance from the community of Vassa, with these distances being taken from the nearest urban areas. The project is also located at a distance of 300 meters from the Special Protection Zone Ha-Potami and has a production capacity of 600Kw.
