The following article is an automated translation of the original French version and therefore may not be totally accurate.
On 8 March, the Council of State issued a historic decision by making illegal permits for onshore wind turbines and fleet renewal rules. In a statement, the Fédération Environnement Durable and fifteen associations, which had lodged the application, stated that “the Council of State has annulled all the provisions concerning the three successive versions of the noise nuisance protocol which is supposed to protect the health of local residents.”
This decision concerns not only ongoing authorisations and projects, but could also call into question existing wind farms.
Associations Collective
Ongoing projects must start all over again
Projects under instruction or not yet built “require a complete environmental assessment”, welcomes the Federation, while stating that “all wind farms built on the basis of now-illegal by-laws should normally no longer be allowed to operate as they are.”
Beyond that, the Council of State noted that the ministerial noise measurement orders had not been subject to an environmental assessment, “which constitutes a violation of the law”. He also stressed that decisions to approve the acoustic protocol “have not been subject to public participation, thereby violating the principles of participation and transparency.”
“Systematic non-compliance”
Environmental associations welcomed the decision of the Council of State, calling it “a major victory for the protection of the environment, the health of local residents and respect for the laws.” They point to the “systematic failure of these laws by the public authorities, whose sole objective was to impose the installation of wind turbines, increasingly rejected by the population, particularly rural ones.”
Noting that the State is thus ordered to pay compensation to applicant associations, the association collective notes that this decision of the Council of State “will have a crucial impact on the French energy future.”
The development of onshore wind energy is now under control, pending the introduction of new permits and rules in accordance with the law.
Associations Collective
Logically, this decision raises questions about the viability of ongoing projects and the future of existing wind farms.
Read: Decision of the Council of State No. 465036 of 8 March 2024
Wind Concerns is a collaboration of citizens of the Lakeland Alberta region against proposed wind turbine projects.
Thank you Mark for getting the translation of this historic decision and for publishing it in Canada.
Hi,
great win well done.
We are currently being exposed to the same nonsense in Southwest western Australia.
Are we able to have access to the necessary resources for our information going forward.
We are organising a team who would really appreciate the support.
Much appreciated
Darren
Hi Darren. So sorry to hear about this. It’s unfair that entire regions are put into upheaval over wind turbines. This website was created to make a database for folks such as yourselves. Use the search engine on the right side, or the categories, to find a trove of research. Wishing you all the best!
Thankyou very much Mark.
I will keep you updated with our journey
Kind regards
Darren