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Iceland - It's not yet over!

To:
Subject: Iceland - It's not yet over!
From: "david camilleri" <>
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 08:29:51 -0400
Hi all:

Apologies for those who received this posting before.

Despite the positive environmental impact study the fight is not yet over.

"It's Not Over Yet!"
for more info < http://proaction.tripod.com/Iceland >

They really need our help to make this a real and lasting victory...
========================================

Please email the four sample letters below;

General Information

The building of a gigantic hydropower station is planned on the northern edge of Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajoekull in Iceland. The power station is needed for the provision of 770 Megawatt for an aluminium smelting work in eastern Iceland, with a capacity of 420,000 metric tons per year. In order for this order of power capacity to be delivered, one of the largest glacial rivers will have to be diverted into another, and huge reservoirs will be required in order to maintain the capacity required throughout the year. The facts and figures of this planned massive intervention in the Icelandic environment are as follows:

· Reservoirs: the largest will flood 57 square kilometres of land, and a further 8 9 smaller ones will submerge another 10-20 square kilometres.

· The dams: the biggest will be 190m high, 770m long; 3 medium-sized dams 32m high and 1000m long. In addition 6-7 smaller dams will be built.

· The water will be diverted to the turbines through a 40 kilometre long tunnel/gallery.

· The third longest glacial river - Joekulsa a Bru, Husey - which has carved out for itself one of the deepest and most attractive canyons in Europe, will be converted to an insignificant stream.

· The diversion of the waters into another glacial river will result in immense changes to the Lagarfljot glacial lake. Its natural drainage will have to be artificially enlarged and the huge estuary delta will have to be reconstructed.

· Altogether, 3,000 square kilometres or 3% of Icelands total landmass will be affected by this irreversible intervention in the environment. The area affected, where the natural environment and habitats will be destroyed, extends from the edge of the Vatnajoekull Glacier to the estuary of the Héra<eth>sflói glacial river.

· A total of 32 square kilometres of land now covered with vegetation will be submerged forever. The soil erosion in the central highlands is on of the greatest problems Iceland has to cope with and it must be feared that the planned reservoirs where the deposits carried by the glacial rivers will end up some 10 million metric tons per year - could pose a danger when the water level in the reservoir sinks. This will occur in winter, when the water reserves will be drawn on. This time of year for the wildest storms and even more vegetation will be threatened and covered by the masses of sand and dust carried by the violent winds.

· A unique former geothermal region will be flooded.

· Flora and fauna: The affected area is one of the few regions in Iceland where the soil and vegetation are still more or less intact. Opponents of the project point out that the project would have unforeseeable consequences for the water table. This part of Iceland is the home of the reindeer whose summer pastures would be flooded. Some 400-600 seals breed every year on the natural beaches.

Among the bird species whose existence is threatened or who will be driven from the area by the changes which the project will bring are:
Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata) - 220 pairs
Pink-footed Goose !!!! (Anser brachyrhynchus) - 3800 pairs
Pintail (Anas acuta) - 100 pairs; 20 % of the total Icelandic population !
Shoveler (Anas clypeata) - 5 pairs, one of the rarest Icelandic duck species
Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) - 10-15 pairs
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeops) - 1000 - 2000 pairs
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) - over 700 pairs
Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) - 265 pairs, 5 % des of the total population
Arctic Skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) - some 1300 breeding pairs.

The operating company is the Norsk Hydro (Norway)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SAMPLE LETTER ONE BELOW:

Iceland Review: < http://www.icenews.is// >
The Iceland Review ("Iceland's Publishers for the World") is an online magazine summarising the daily news in Iceland's media.

Morgunbladid: < http://www.mbl.is/ >
The 'Morgunbladid' is the largest Icelandic daily newspaper with a circulation of 55,000 copies [The population of Iceland is 280,000] Most (or many) Icelanders read English.

Cut and paste the text below and send it to the following addresses by email.

email to the Iceland Review: <  >
email to the Morgunbladid: <@mbl.is >
and copy please to...PROACT: <  >

Cut and Paste from here
-----------------------------------------------
TIME TO RECONSIDER?

Dear Editor:

Earlier this year the Icelandic Nature Conservation Association, Náttúruverndarsamtök Íslands, appealed to conservationists worldwide to support them in their campaign to prevent the irreversible environmental damage that would be caused if the Kárahnjúkavirkjun hydroelectric project was to go ahead without consideration of the environmental impact.

Very many of us wrote to the State Planning Agency (Skipulag), the Environment Minister, Siv Fridleifsdottir, and Norsk Hydro (who need the hydroelectric project for their planned aluminium smelting plant). We received no reply from any of these organisations. Environmental protection and international concern is obviously not very high on their list of priorities.

Some of us did receive a reply from The National Power Company of Iceland, Landsvirkjun, who stated i.a.:

"We did extensive research on the habitat of all forms of life in the area affected, including birdlife. ..... The conclusion of that research is that your fear for birdlife and endangered species is groundless. Effects on bird habitats will be minimal ....."

We are therefore delighted to read the results of the environmental impact study which have now been made public by the Environmental Planning Agency. This report clearly identifies the grave consequences for the environment should the project go ahead as planned.

We hope that the responsible ministries and agencies do not ignore, or act against, the findings of this report. We also hope that the reports from Iceland that speak of a smear campaign at the highest level against the EPA, in order to discredit its findings, are unfounded. The credibility of your elected representatives would suffer irredeemably, both in Iceland and the rest of the world, as a result. We hope that they will act courageously in this matter and not be diverted from this to serve shabby, short term personal and political interests. We will be following developments closely.

We have again written to all concerned to appeal to their common sense and to take this opportunity to reconsider the Kárahnjúkavirkjun project.

In the hope that your national decision-makers will stick courageously to the ruling of the EPA, and secure the unspoilt regions of your magnificent environment for the benefit of future generations of Icelanders - and for the common European natural heritage, we remain,

Yours sincerely

[Add Name & Address]
--------------------------------------------
to here
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SAMPLE LETTER TWO

email to The National Power Company of Iceland: <  >
and copy please to...PROACT: <  >

Cut and Paste from here
--------------------------------------------------
A CHANCE FOR YOU TO RETHINK PLANS TO DESTROY ICELANDS NATURAL HERITAGE

The National Power Company of Iceland
Landsvirkjun
Haateleitisbraut 68
103 Reykjavík
Iceland

For the attention of:
Thorsteinn Hilmarsson
Head of Corporate Communications

Dear Mr Hilmarsson,

The ruling by the Iceland Environmental Planning Agency is unambiguous. Contrary to your statements in your reply to the widespread international protest, and I quote below, the reality is different:

"We did extensive research on the habitat of all forms of life in the area affected, including birdlife. ..... The conclusion of that research is that your fear for birdlife and endangered species is groundless.
Effects on bird habitats will be minimal ..... ."

The EPA report clearly states:

"This impact would affect many things, e.g. the vegetation of the Vesturöræfi area, the reindeer, bird life and the landscape, in addition to which erosion would result in a dust haze in the Vesturöræfi area and down into the inhabited areas.... ."

And

"Development work on the first stage of the project would interfere with species that are rare, both in the local area and in Iceland as a whole, and would alter the conditions for life in lakes and rivers. The work could also have a substantial impact on birdlife, both through the loss of land covered by the reservoir and through the indirect effects of soil erosion and changes in hydrology."

And there is much more; but you are no doubt studying the report in detail yourself.

We sincerely hope that you will accept its conclusions in good grace and accept that continuing with the project would do irreversible damage to your country and its environment; and a part of the European common heritage.

We therefore urge you NOT to appeal against the ruling of the Environmental Planning Agency's ruling.

We remain,

trusting in your good judgement and concern for the quality of life for present and future generations,

Yours faithfully,

[Add Name & Address]
-------------------------------------------------
to here
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SAMPLE LETTER THREE

email to Norsk Hydro: <  >
and copy please to...PROACT: <  >

Cut and Paste from here
------------------------------------------------------------
KÁRAHNJÚKAR - A CHANCE TO RETHINK?

The Managing Director
Norsk Hydro ASA
N-0240 Oslo
Norway

Dear Madam,
Dear Sir,

It is remarkable that despite international protest over the Kárahnjúkavirkjun hydroelectric project, in which you have a strong vested interest, you have neither reacted to communications sent to you, nor made your position clear publicly. Your internet website makes no mention of the project - the aim of which is to enable you to build and operate a vast aluminium smelting plant.

You will no doubt claim that you do not wish to meddle in internal Icelandic affairs. Others would comment that this is typical of the arrogance of global concerns such as yours; like the big bad wolf in the Nordic tales you will only show your teeth when your prey is within striking distance and there is no chance of escape.

The publication of the Icelandic Environmental Planning Agency's report on the unacceptable impact that this project would have on the environment is no doubt being carefully studied by your experts. The message for environmentalists, conservationists and people who just care for the few unspoilt natural resources worldwide is clear: the project must be abandoned.

We urge you to accept defeat gracefully and accept the conclusions and ruling of the EPA report. We hope that you will now inform Landsvirkjun that you are withdrawing from the project; this will make any further action on their part superfluous. In doing so you will contribute considerably to the future of the natural beauty, the variety of species and stable environment of Iceland.

In the interest of preserving for future generations a part of what little is left of the once diverse European landscape we remain,

Yours sincerely

[Add Name & Address]
--------------------------------------------------------
to here
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SAMPLE LETTER FOUR

email to The Minister - Ms. Siv Fridleifsdottir: < >
email to The Ministry of the Environment: <  >
and copy please to...PROACT: <  >

Cut and Paste from here
-----------------------------------------------------------
A SECOND CHANCE TO FULFIL YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The Ministry for the Environment
Vonarstraeti 4,
IS-150 Reykjavík,
Iceland

Dear Ms Fridleifsdottir,

Like many other conservationists worldwide we were disappointed at your lack of reaction to our earlier pleas to rethink your policy on the Kárahnjúkavirkjun hydroelectric project.

We are therefore delighted to read the results of the impact study which have now been made public by the Environmental Planning Agency.

It would be inconceivable for you and your Ministry to ignore, or to act against the findings of this report. Your credibility as elected or appointed spokesperson and defender of the environment, both in Iceland and the rest of the world, would vanish irrecoverably.

We hope therefore that the rumours which reach us from your country are untrue, and that your ministry will fulfil its environmental protection role and not be diverted from this to serve shabby, short term personal and political interests. We will be following developments closely.

In the hope that you will stick courageously to the ruling of the EPA, remain faithful to the responsiblities of your office; and secure the unspoilt regions of your magnificent environment for the benefit of future generations of Icelanders - and the common European natural heritage, we remain,

Yours sincerely

[Add Name & Address]
--------------------------------------------------------------
to here
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