The local authority reaffirms its commitment to the energy transition and acknowledges the substantial changes, such as the withdrawal of the plant from the municipality and the elimination of overlap with the future Gardunha Sul Irrigation. However, these modifications do not eliminate the impacts of the connection infrastructure or associated constraints, preventing a favorable opinion.
The reformulation removed panels from the Fundão municipality (covering 391 hectares of restricted area and 80.67 hectares of panels), fully safeguarding the 222 hectares designated for the future Gardunha Sul Irrigation. The circulation of medium-voltage overhead lines between sectors was also eliminated.
The project's impact on the Fundão municipality now focuses exclusively on the 400 kV LMAT route and its connection to the Fundão substation. The municipality believes that the line's corridor, whether the North option (21.73 km) or the South option (20.91 km), continues to carry significant impacts.
Among the noted negative impacts are the intersection with the National Agricultural Reserve (RAN), Type I agricultural production areas of the Municipal Master Plan (PDM), and agricultural exploitation blocks of Cova da Beira. The 45-meter easement strip will impose significant constraints on afforestation, buildings, agricultural machinery circulation, and local farm development.
The municipality demands that the Environmental Impact Assessment decision include an integrated assessment of the North-South route alternatives, ensure compatibility with Fundão's PDM and Municipal Ecological Structure, provide exact georeferenced mapping of easements and planned constraints, clear information and fair compensation for affected landowners, and define continuous minimization measures for avifauna, noise, and electromagnetic fields.
