justice validates the construction of all basins in Deux-Sèvres

The administrative court of Poitiers validated on Tuesday April 11 the construction of each of the 16 water reservoirs for agricultural irrigation in the Sèvre Niortaise basin, indicates France Bleu Poitou. Seven structures out of 16 had already been validated in May 2021, allowing the start of work, in particular on the basins of Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon and Sainte-Soline, the scene of sometimes violent demonstrations in recent years. In total, these reservoirs should make it possible to store several hundred thousand cubic meters of water. The State welcomes with satisfaction the judgment rendered by the Administrative Court of Poitiers insofar as it proceeds to the rejection of the three appeals exercised against the environmental authorization issued to the Societe cooperative anonyme de l’eau des Deux-Sèvres for the exploitation of 16 replacement reserves. The legality of that authorization was therefore not called into question by the Court.

>> Does the IPCC recommend “mega-basins”, like that of Sainte-Soline?

The Deux-Sèvres Water Cooperative Company, the project leader, welcomes a “very good news”in a press release. “The very principle of the creation of water substitution reserves is recognized”believes the president of this Coop de l’eau 79, Thierry Boudaud. “As well as the quality of the initial impact study of 2017, as well as that of the additional file submitted in April 2020 as part of the memorandum of understanding.” He also ensures that the volumes of the nine basins still to be built have been revised downwards.

On March 25, a rally around the disputed basin of Sainte-Soline attracted between 6,000 and 30,000 people according to the organizers or the prefecture. It gave rise to violent clashes between demonstrators and police.