ANEPC, the national civil protection authority, has given the thumbs-down to the government’s project for a new airport terminal in Montijo on the basis that the site is ‘too susceptible to elevated risks, including earthquakes, tsunamis and ‘bird strike’.
The revelation, made by civic group ‘Montijo Não’, explains that ANEPC’s veto came last September. It was sent to State environment agency APA, which went on to approve the project with certain conditions (click here).
The implication is that ANEPC’s veto – and all the reasoning behind it – was sidelined.
Local municipalities – which by law have the power of veto – remain firm in their opposition to the airport despite the government’s contention that they do not deserve to be able to block projects ‘of such national importance’.
This week in Expresso Dutch naturalist and writer Jonathan Franzen said it would be a crime against nature to construct an airport on the site – stressing “there simply are no alternatives for the majority of migratory birds that stop there to rest”. This increases the likelihood of ‘bird strike’ which could end up being fatal for much more than the birds…
