Environmental Impact of the Grit Quarry in Ludrová Will Be Reviewed

Public administration bodies will have to review whether the extension of the grit quarry in Ludrová requires environmental impact assessment. Such was the decision of the Regional court in Žilina who confirmed the arguments of the Institutes for the nature protection. Legal assistance including the legal representation before court was provided for the Institute by VIA IURIS.

The investor plans to extend existing grit quarry located close to the municipality of Ludrová (northern Slovakia). Realization of mentioned plan would mean the destruction of rare species of flora and biotopes protected at European level. Moreover the local community would have to face an increase of noise, dust and transport circulation. Nevertheless the District authority in Ružomberok did not consider the possible negative impact on the environment so serious issue as to order in the screening process the environmental impact assessment of the quarry´s extension. Mentioned decision of the District authority stating that quarry´s extension did not require an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was annulled last week by the Regional court in Žilina.

As stated Marián Jasík, director of the Institute for nature protection: „Institute was actively participating in the screening process during which we were pointing out to the negative environmental impacts which would extension of quarry represent. At the same time we pointed out to the fact that project´s documentation on the quarry´s extension was containing misleading and false information, which were distorting or even negating the importance of the impacts on the environment. The court sustained our arguments.”

Also in this case it was very important that the public got involved in the proceedings where there was a threat of the destruction of the environment. If the Institute for nature protection with assistance of VIA IURIS did not point out to the mistakes committed by the administrative authority an illegal impact on environment would occur. „Once again this case proved that the best defenders of the environment are people who care about the place where they live and about a healthy environment. Nowadays these people have already effective tools to protect their country. These just have to be used,“ says Imrich Vozár from VIA IURIS.

Regional court recognized almost all arguments stipulated in the complaint by the conservationists. According to court´s opinion the district authority did not provide sufficient reasons for its decision and did not considerate at all the statement of the Institute for nature protection and either the other negative statements from concerned authorities. Regional court in addition considered that respondent authority assessed incorrectly the facts and so its decision was based on wrong facts.