Renewables: fewer restrictions in protected areas. Greater powers for the drilling commissioner
The amendments have been approved by the Senate Environment Committee: the text is expected to be debated in the Senate on Wednesday
Renewable energy installations will also be permitted in the buffer zones of UNESCO sites, provided they are situated on land meeting the criteria for suitable areas. This is the main change introduced by the amendments to the Fuel Decree – due to be debated in the Senate on Wednesday – which have been approved by the Environment Committee.
Areas for renewable energy
The amendment amends the Consolidated Act on Renewable Energy. At present, a general ban applies in the protection zones of UNESCO sites. Under the amendment, installations subject to a simplified authorisation procedure and a single authorisation will also be permitted, provided that they fall entirely within the buffer zone and that the area meets the eligibility criteria laid down by national or regional law. However, the simplified rules for eligible areas will not apply to these projects: the standard procedure will continue to apply.
A second measure concerns the regions, which are required by law to identify further suitable areas: when applying their own criteria, they may not call into question the areas already declared suitable under national legislation.
The Commissioner for Hydrocarbons
The second amendment concerns the core of the original decree of 10 September. Article 2, in fact, speeds up the procedures for the exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons on land, including well drilling and the granting or extension of permits and licences. If the Region fails to give its opinion on the agreement within 45 days of receiving the documentation, the President of the Council shall set a maximum deadline of 60 days, reduced to 30 days under the single procedure introduced in 2022. In the event of further inaction, the Council of Ministers appoints an ad acta commissioner to conclude the agreement in the Region’s place.
That concludes the original text. The amendment tabled by Claudio Fazzone (Fi), which has just been approved, extends the commissioner’s powers to include the adoption of any procedural measure or authorisation ‘however named’ falling within the remit of the Region or local authorities, if necessary to bring the proceedings to a conclusion.
