environment minister, Jorge Moreira da Silva said on Tuesday it is guaranteed an “additional” allocation of € 17 million to repair the ravages of bad weather on the Portuguese coast, fully paid by EU funds.
“We found a way, today, the competition for these additional € 17 million to be released [and not ten million euros, as promised a few days ago], with the advantage of being fully reimbursed by community fund, “said the minister, told reporters after a visit to two beaches of Gaia.
According to the minister, “all in all, in the country, in 29 counties affected by [the weather]“, will be invested “28 million”. This value includes, in addition to the 17 million now announced 11 million euros that are part of the overall amount foreseen in the Action Plan for the Protection and Enhancement of Coastal, which is around € 300 million.
EUR 17 million will be paid 100% by the Operational Programme for Territorial Development (POVT). “It was an expedient solution. Hopefully in the coming days the authorities, the Portuguese Environment Agency and the administrations of Hydrographic Regions and Polis societies can work together to submission of applications so that these investments can be made until the opening of bathing season, “he said.
Regarding the city of Gaia, where Jorge Moreira da Silva went on Tuesday, the minister indicated that an intervention worth 500 thousand euros was already provided for in the plan, to reset the protection of the wall and replace the footbridge at Washers beach. “If everything goes as planned and whether the contract permit the award in April, as planned, I believe that this work can be ready in time for the summer season,” he said.
The minister warned that the bad weather this winter has revealed “major weaknesses than those provided” in the action plan for the coast and made the county of Gaia as “one of the most affected by the storms of recent weeks,” with “damage . of around 2.5 million euros “
stressing that the rules do not allow European funds “to allocate a value to a municipality,” the minister assured that the additional amount of EUR 17 million “is sufficient to cover the additional financing needs” in the national coastline.
Team will evaluate strategy for coastal
mayor of Gaia, Eduardo Vitor Rodrigues welcomed the funding of contracts and highlighted its importance in getting blue flags for beaches in the county. “This was an ambition to achieve a funding model that would allow bring to fruition the work, but rather allowing take it out in time, because otherwise they would be concerned the blue flags and the bathing season,” he noted.
Already this morning, Moreira da Silva had announced another intervention on the coast, on walks, to restore the natural course of the Anchor River, in the parish of Vila Praia de Ancora. This work, which should advance in September, will cost 1.4 million euros already paid these additional funds announced by the Minister.
On Tuesday, the minister also announced that invited Filipe Duarte Santos, an expert on climate change, to coordinate the evaluation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Strategy. The intent is that this review will inspire “new development plans of the shoreline, which will come under review in 2014/2015 and that will set the terms of reference for the new Coastal Action Plans.”
“I thought it relevant that Filipe Duarte Santos, one of the leading experts on climate change, could coordinate a team that should not only look for hydrological and hydrographic question to the issue of spatial planning, but also for the relationship of climate change in coastal area, “explained the minister.
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