Discussion to nesting

[marika.solo]

ESTONIA 25.06.2025

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About the experience of Sopi-Tootsi wind farm: a warning for the future

A recent letter from the Environmental Board to the municipality of Northern Pärnu County brought to the public a problem, which had initially been raised by the Eagle Club: how to protect the black storks nesting near the Sopi-Tootsi wind farm? The Environmental Board forwarded this information along with recommendations to the municipal government. However, the municipal government wiped its hands clean and sent the responsibility completely to the developer - Enefit Green AS.
This case is significant. Not only from the protection point of view of this particular bird pair, but also from the fact that the municipality has decided to approach the assessment of the environmental effects of wind farms superficially.
Actually it was already 2020. this year it will be publicly known that there is a protected black stork nests near Tootsi wind farm. The nest was registered two years after the end of the environmental impact assessment, however, there were no significant changes in the planning following this knowledge. The wind park was given a building permit and information about bird nesting was ignored. Meanwhile, not only the developer was responsible - the responsibility falls on the municipality, whose task is to ensure the fairness of the planning and compliance with the law. Unfortunately, this case showed that economic interest turned out to be more important than environmental obligations and the parish did not fulfill its role as a sufficient accountant for environmental information.
At present, several wind energy plans are in process in Põhja-Pärnumaa municipality. Several areas of development are planned. to go forward in accelerated mode, the environmental impacts are minimally dealt with and in some cases the detailed solution stage is skipped altogether. This means that the environmental impacts – whether they are related to noise, biodiversity or environmental quality – can go unappreciated, be misappreciated, or be viewed just through the fingers, like the management of Sopi-Toots.
If these plans are approved in the same way as Sopi-Tootsi's, the problems of both humans and nature will remain unnoticed in the future. Residents could face low frequency noise, visual disturbances and a drop in property value. At the same time, rare species, such as small frog eagle, hen hawk or just the same black stork, may be in danger and the same pattern repeats - the parish wipes its hands clean and announces that someone else is responsible...
The municipality has the opportunity to do differently. If there is a desire to develop renewable energy responsibly, it must involve a thorough and transparent environmental impact assessment and involving residents and the community. The local government has an obligation to stand up for its residents and the natural environment - not just to build a shoulder and direct all the responsibility elsewhere.
In the case of Sopi-Tootsi, it has already become clear that the environmental impact was inadequate. But who is responsible if these assessments prove to be wrong and the consequences appear only years later? With current plans, there is still a chance to learn from and avoid mistakes, because rushing and reckless action can pay painful revenge in the future.

PS!
1/ Black-stork nest cam is located here
2/ 2020 err article: https://www.err.ee/1149856/tootsi-tuule ... ekure-pesa
3/ 5.06.2025 Environmental Board Letter: https://atp.amphora.ee/pparnumaavv/inde ... uChxbk5T7Q
4/ 20.06.2025 North-Pärnu County's response: https://atp.amphora.ee/pparnumaavv/inde ... jjrkCP7XIg