The Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group (UNCG) must ask: Does the State Environmental Inspectorate (SEI) in the Zakarpattia region believe an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is unnecessary?
This is precisely the conclusion reached in the Inspection Report regarding the construction of Wind Power Plant (WPP) foundations on the Runa Polonyna (a unique, high-altitude Carpathian meadow), prepared by inspectors Ihor Svereniak and Alla Vudmaska.
Astonishingly, instead of independently investigating the requirements of environmental legislation, the inspectors simply accepted the explanations provided by the developer and the conclusion issued by the State Inspectorate for Architecture and Urban Planning (DIAM).
Ignoring Evidence and Authority
The inspection team completely disregarded:
- The official letter from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources (Min dovkillia), which clearly explained why the construction of the foundations absolutely requires an EIA.
- The fact that the initial EIA report draft itself mentions the word “foundation” 290 times, clearly indicating it is an integral part of the project.
- The legal principle that the entire WPP construction – not just the final turbine installation – is subject to the mandatory EIA procedure.
It is futile to present legal arguments to the Zakarpattia Eco-Inspectors. This shameful “inspection” will forever remain on their conscience.
A Call for National Leadership
However, we demand public comments on the situation at Runa Polonyna from the head of the central apparatus of the State Environmental Inspectorate of Ukraine, Ihor Zubovych, and the head of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrynchuk.
What is happening is not merely the destruction of the Ukrainian Carpathians, compounded by disgraceful information campaigns targeting activists. It is the nullification of the European integration norms and environmental standards that Ukraine has introduced in recent years.
If this regulatory failure is not stopped now, we will face the same destructive scenarios with the development of other critical mountain meadows: Apetzka, Svyidovets, Krasna, and Hostra Polonynas!
