Nicole Bertin’s blog, Nicole Bertin Infos, recently published an article on the October 22 meeting of the General Council of the Charente-Maritime. We encourage our readers to subscribe to her blog, which is an excellent source of information related to the political scene, culture and economy of the Charente-Maritime. She has been ‘front row and centre’ concerning the situation which most worries members of the DDME and which we are battling with all our forces: the EDF-R wind farm project along the right bank of the estuary of the Gironde.
Find the original blog article in French HERE
The following
is a translation of the article that appeared in Nicole Bertin Infos:
22 October 2018
He already said it the other day at
Saint-Sorlin-de-Conac (and well before that, as Jean-Marc Bouffard, Mayor of
Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, reminded us), and said it again Monday morning at the
opening of a new
session of the General Council. Dominique Bussereau [President of the General Council of the
Charente-Maritime] is against the further development of wind farms in the region,
stressing that “we’re already beyond the threshold of what’s acceptable.”
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| Monday 22 October, Opening of a new session of the County Council of Charente-Maritime
Addressing his colleagues assembled at La Rochelle, Dominique Bussereau
reminded them of his opposition to the surge of wind farm projects in the
Charente-Maritime. He is concerned that they will lead to the destruction of
the regional landscape. Inspired by what Regional President Xavier Bertrand has
done in the Hauts-de-France, Bussereau has launched a Wind Farm Watchdog Group
(L’Observatoire de l’éolien) for the
Charente-Maritime. Its mission is to inventory the numerous projects, inform
the public, seek help if necessary, and, above all, “prevent what’s
unacceptable.” He is backed in his battle by Regio Councillors Lionel Quillet
(L’Ile de Ré), Marie-Pierre and Didier Quentin (Royan), Françoise de Roffignac
(Cozes), Loïc Girard (Gémozac), Marie-Christine Bureau and Bernard Louis Joseph
(Mirambeau and Pons), among others.
Among those present, one elected official did not share Bussereau’s
point of view: Guy Denier, Mayor of Périgny and General Councillor of the
Aytré. He questioned the need for such a watchdog group given that the country
is transitioning to new sources of energy, saying, “I don’t believe it’s a wise
decision.” He feels the efforts of the watchdog group would add another layer
to the ‘systematic’ resistance already underway by associations and private
individuals. He reminded the General Council of the ‘pressing necessity’ of
seeking new energy sources. As a result, he felt that “the watchdog group would
be more helpful if it changed its tone...”
Dominique Bussereau was quick to reply. This watchdog group is being
established to inform the public regarding wind farm projects underway, which
are often hidden by certain ‘swindlers’ who have managed to convince both
farmers and mayors via the cold, jingling sound of money. “We have reached a
threshold in the Charente-Maritime.” President Bussereau went even further,
saying, “these wind farm projects are sounding the death knoll for the
development of tourism.” He added that, in France, we have not figured out how
to dispose of these wind turbines once they’ve reached the end of their life
cycle, and that the sand used to produce the tons of concrete necessary to
anchor the turbines in the ground would need to be dredged off the coast of
Mathes.
If EDF-Renouvelables’ plan is to destroy the natural areas situated
along the banks of the estuary, there will be many who will voice their
opposition loud and clear. Today, when the region is planning on launching
pleasure cruises on the estuary, and when the Cordouan Lighthouse and Blaye
Citadel are awaiting their classification by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites,
the proposed wind farm project along the estuary is understandably of concern.
Dominique Bussereau is not against the construction of wind turbines in places
suitable for them. But in the Charente-Maritime, where the Aunis area is
already invaded by wind farms, he clearly says: STOP: “Certain town councillors
don’t give a damn about their residents, and use the excuse that the wind
project promoters have promised the municipalities a significant source of
revenue. This Watchdog Group is not a gimmick!”
Sharing this position are Loïc Girard and Dominique Marion, Director of
the Ferme de la Gravelle [an organic farm and campsite] in Mortagne. Forty years ago, he fought
against the building of the nuclear power plant at Braud-et-Saint-Louis; today
he is fighting the wind farm project along the estuary. Alongside
environmentalists, numerous local players are also opposed, first and foremost
the hunters. Is the project destined to fail? Many are hopeful this is the
case, as the estuary of the Gironde is a sanctuary and important stopping
ground for migratory birds; an ecosystem that continues to be passionately
studied by Raphaël Musseau, a graduate of the École Pratique des Hautes Etudes
in Paris, and today Director of BioSphère Environnement in Mortagne.
As for Jean-Claude Godineau, General
Councillor of Saint-Jean-d’Angély, he admitted that, indeed, his region is
saturated by wind turbines…
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