More than 200 people attended the public assembly on 17th September in Pizzone, convened with the aim of informing the population about the PIZZONE II project presented by ENEL and aimed at building a mega hydroelectric power plant (300 MW) with works in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park and surrounding areas.
In addition to citizens and representatives of some associations, the provincial administrations and the municipalities concerned, including that of Alfedena in Abruzzo, were present or represented. Many people took the floor: ordinary citizens, the mayors of Alfedena and Colli a Volturno. A message from the Mayor of Rocchetta al Volturno of total rejection of the project was read out by one of his delegates. PNALM was present with its lawyer, who reiterated the organisation’s opposition.
In the meantime, on 16th September, Legambiente issued its usual ‘Solomonic’ communiqué in which it once again did not reject the project, (it does reject this version, however…) pretending to persuade ENEL to reconsider the planned havoc. It is a pity that the problem is the tunnel… without the tunnel there is no project, with the tunnel there is the devastation of the territory for 8-10 years (1,000,000 cubic metres of rock to be disposed of, tens of thousands of heavy transports), this is the crucial point that they obviously avoid discussing.
Having been debunked by Salviamo l’Orso in their pathetic attempts to keep their feet in both brackets (for and against the project), they vent some of the venom they have accumulated against us over the years by insinuating that SLO and its President Stefano Orlandini have a personal interest in opposing the project. After all, what else is there to expect from disqualified characters, bureaucrats who today, without the PD in government or in the region, are struggling to make ends meet? After all, one has to understand them, they too ‘have a family’. It is a pity, however, that they did not clearly accuse our President by name and surname, it would have been nice to bring to court some of the accomplices of the wind devastation that has affected the southern regions of our country from Basilicata to Apulia, to part of Campania and even at home in Abruzzo and Molise. However, you never know, maybe next time they will get brave.
Last week ENEL withdrew the project with the intention of resubmitting it ‘improved’ for assessment by the Abruzzo and Molise regions involved, a move it was forced to make by the unanimous protests raised against it by administrations, associations and citizens living in the area. However, there is no illusion, they will resubmit it after an ‘underground’ lobbying campaign that has already begun, so it is absolutely necessary not to lower our guard and maintain the state of mobilisation.