A number of Environmental NGOs today claimed that the government is misleading the public over the proposed demerger of the environment and planning authority Mepa

“In a bid to justify the new MEPA laws which increase politicians’ stranglehold on planning and environment, government publicity is giving incorrect and misleading messages.”

“Contrary to what is being claimed, at no point did the eNGOs Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Ramblers’ Association, Friends of the Earth or MOAM give unconditional support to the splitting of MEPA.  The eNGOs were ready to consider such a move as long as it strengthened the environment sector which had always been practically ignored or had to give way to development interests.  The split or ‘demerger’ as now being proposed weakens the protection of environment even further, with the new Environment Authority being reduced to just another government entity to be consulted at whim,” the NGOs said in a statement.

“Further statements that the new laws give the advantage that NGOs will be able to appeal against MEPA decisions are not correct.  This right is in fact strictly limited to applications where Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) or Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) assessments are required.  These make up only a fraction of MEPA’s caseload.  This number may be further reduced by MEPA’s recent tendency to release applicants from the necessity to prepare an EIA as in Gaffarena’s 35-warehouse development.”

“The reality is that by sidelining the Environment Authority, the new regulations further weaken the protection of Malta’s out of development zones and the environment in general.  The new law also ignores the impact of development on residents, as social impact is completely left out of the matters to be taken into account in the new Spatial Strategy policy.

“The overriding drive of the new planning legislation is to strengthen the Minister’s control over planning matters, not only through the appointment of board members, but also in the granting or withholding of information to the public.”

The NGOs insisted that politicians have no place at Mepa, and policies and decisions should be left to the technical experts, with the backing of professional and impartial studies which have been missing from all recent policies.