Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1101649
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 APRIL 2019 NEWS JAMES DEBONO ALL geological studies re- lated to the development of the Gozo tunnel will be passed on to the "relevant authorities" in the devel- opment permitting process and available for public consultation, a spokesper- son for Minister Ian Borg has told MaltaToday. The statement implies that ongoing geological studies will be included in the re- ports for the environment impact assessment (EIA) for the Gozo tunnel, which is currently being drafted. The ministry spokesper- son explained that so far, core samples containing geological data have been obtained both on land and at sea, with the aim of con- ducting the required geo- logical studies. "Through the technical details ac- quired from these cores and other information from different processes, such as seismic data, a geological model of the area under in- vestigation was compiled". Additional geological in- vestigations will be carried out once the final tunnel alignment is confirmed. These studies will focus on the final tunnel route, as opposed to the studies already conducted, which cover the wider area that is being analysed for project planning and for the scope of the EIA. The experts engaged in what the ministry has described as a "delicate phase" of the project, will be provided with the "free- dom, resources and sup- port necessary to conduct all the independent studies required by the authorities to identify the most sus- tainable solutions to Gozo's long-standing social and economic challenges," the spokesperson said. The ministry reiterated the government's commit- ment "to the successful and sustainable" implementa- tion of the Malta-Gozo tun- nel project. The terms of reference for the EIA state call for a com- prehensive investigation of the geology and geomor- phology of the site and its surroundings as well as geo- technical considerations including: land and seabed stability; mechanical, ero- sional and structural prop- erties of the terrain and any relevant "fissures, faults, hollows, or weak points" as well as "the vulnerability of the site to natural forces such as erosive elements, landslides and mass move- ments." Despite the government's political commitment to develop the tunnel, the terms of reference issued by the Environment and Re- sources Authority for the EIA specify that alternatives including alternative uses of the proposed tunnel, alter- native solutions for inter- island transport, as well as the "zero option" have to be considered. "These alternatives, in- cluding the zero option, should be considered in sufficient detail as a plau- sible scenario in the EIA, wherever relevant, and not be discarded upfront with- out proper discussion of its implications," ERA's guide- lines for pending studies states. According to the stand- ard procedure, the ERA is responsible for ensuring that the EIA respects the terms of reference. It will also have to issue a recom- mendation to the Planning Authority on whether the tunnel project should be ap- proved or not, with the final decision being taken by the Planning Board. The full publication of studies for the Gozo tunnel was demanded by independ- ent MEP candidate Arnold Cassola, who insisted that all geological studies should be finalised before a tender for the project is issued by the government. Cassola argued that it would be ir- responsible to issue tenders before such detailed studies are "produced, studied and discussed publicly". jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Geological studies on Gozo tunnel final route still ongoing TWELVE NGOs yesterday filed a judicial protest against the Transport Minister and Planning Authority, calling for the publication of all studies on the proposed Gozo-Malta tunnel. The NGOs asked for a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), as required by national and EU law, to be carried out. "This game of hide and seek and of withholding of essential information must stop," they said. "The proposed tunnel will have enormous and far- reaching consequences on the health, quality of life and environment of all who live in Malta and Gozo." They said citizens should not be left in the dark as to the "true implications" of such momentous decisions. "We call up- on the authorities to publish all the studies so that citizens may develop an opinion based on facts. That is a major principle of democracy." The NGOs include Din l-Art Ħelwa, Ramblers' Association, Nature Trust, Bird- Life, Friends of the Earth, Moviment Graf- fitti, The Archaeological Society, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Kamra tal-Periti, Isles of the Left, Bicycle Advocacy Group and Żminijietna – Voice of the Left. Judicial protest on tunnel studies The proposed tunnel would exit from a point at l-Imbordin, a rural locality just beneath Mellieha