Eurosea Thermal Power Plant Proposal: Controversy, Opposition, and Legal Cases

The story – Eurosea begins on May 14, 1999, when an application is submitted to establish a waste thermal power plant at Campagna Trezza, a project worth 350 billion lire.

On May 18, the Mantovani council issues a preliminary favorable opinion; on June 26, the Comune di Lonato sends a favorable opinion regarding the application to the Region, the Brescia Local Health Authority (Azienda Sanitaria Locale), and Eurosea, conditioned on the provisions of the municipal council’s resolution.

On September 8, the Municipality issues another positive opinion concerning the installation of the electrical power plant, and on September 11, the council approves the resolution approving the framework agreement with Eurosea.

The controversy and popular opposition

On September 30, the agreement is signed between the parties. However, the «bomb» has already exploded in the town. Spontaneous committees are formed, dozens of public assemblies are held, and the regional councilor Franco Nicoli Cristiani commits to closing the case—Eurosea, he reaffirms multiple times, will never build the plant, especially because it does not fit within the regional waste management program.

On November 8, 1999, under pressure from public opinion and a cross-party opposition formed by the opposition parties and much of the Lega, the two variants are approved, which, consequently, lead to the fall of the Mantovani administration, leaving it practically isolated with only a few loyal assessors.

The rest is recent history. In April, elections are held, resulting in a victory for the Ulivo and environmentalists list led by Morando Perini.

Investigations and legal developments

Currently, the thermal power plant project is under investigation by the judiciary: suspicions concern some land transactions, but also the hypothesis of abuse of office, which the Procura di Brescia (Brescia Public Prosecutor’s Office) has lodged against former councilors who voted for the variant that evening.

However, after the Tar (Regional Administrative Court) ruling, the charges might be definitively dismissed.