EcoLur
As a result of the joint project on SHPPs implemented by EcoLur and Nature Protection Ministry there is SHPP health program implemented in Armenia, as First Nature Protection Deputy Minister Simon Papyan said in his speech on 21 June at the event dedicated to the summary of the project outcomes.
“Supporting reforms in the sector of small hydro power plants through enabling a dialogue between civil society and the Ministry of Nature Protection for sustainable use of river ecosystems” project monitored 87 SHPPs constructed on 48 rivers and 3 water springs in Syunik Region, Vayots Dzor Region, Aragatsotn Region, Kotayk Region, Gegharkounik Region, Tavush Region, Shirak and Lori Regions. The project has been implemented with the support of UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme.
“SHPP monitoring results show that we have problems in the operation of SHPPs starting from projecting stage and finishing from development stage. The Nature Protection Ministry reached a decision to develop health program for each SHPP, for it to enter the legal field. The development of these health programs is in progress now,” Simon Papyan said.
“The project outcomes show that we have many problems in terms of river overload. We have currently circulated the draft governmental resolution on determining limit sizes. Amendment documentation is being developed in Water Code, we have already circulated a new version of water usage permits,” Simon Papyan said.
“The project has reached rather big and valuable outcomes in a rather short period of time: a number of legal problems have been detected, as well matters relating with application of law, but one of the most important problems is the absence of ecosystem service assessment in the process of environmental impact assessment, without which we can’t have an objective image,” said Armen Martirosyan, the UNDP Environmental Programme Head Armen Martirosyan.
According to him, the main lesson learnt of the project is to start large investment programs from the need to perform distinct environmental and socio-economic assessment, afterwards have corrections in the legal field and then proceed to financing stage.
“I would like to refer to our role and note that all development agencies maybe have to undertake a bigger burden and responsibility to estimate such studies and to encourage them to form a clearer field, to exchange knowledge, to support state and public sector to have more efficient cooperation,” Armen Martirosyan said.
Project Coordinator, Deputy Head of Staff of Nature Protection Ministry Ashot Avalyan said the Nature Protection Ministry is going to provide eco-passports given the information databasis created during the project. “Eco passport is a document, which includes both environmental, energetic and other kinds of information, which all SHPPs will have. We are also thinking of green passports, which only those SHPPs will have, which operate without causing damage to environment or causing minimum damage to it. Those SHPPs, which will have these passports, will make use of certain bonus advantages,” Ashot Avalyan said.
Hayk Harutyunyan, Deputy Energy and Natural Resources Minister, informed that the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry has developed 60 standards on SHPP equipment, which has been sent to EEU Economic Committee for approval. Hayk Harutyunyan added that hydropower development concept is being developed this year.
Vahan Davtyan, Water Resource Management Agency Head of Nature Protection Ministry informed that a new methodology for environmental flow has been developed, as the environmental flow set with the current governmental resolution doesn’t ensure environmental balance.
Tamara Babayan, Director of Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund in Armenia, mentioned that SHPPs have been constructed in Armenia without following SHPP development scheme.
SHPP Union Chairman Naira Nahapetyan conditioned the poor state of monitored SHPPs with the lack of finances.
Project expert, geographer Levon Galstyan outlined three problems in the SHPP sector - environmental flow, changing the category of the SHPPs from 0 to 1 MW in RA Law “On Environmental Impact Assessment and Expertise”, as Category C SHPPs don’t undergo any expertise.
Inga Zarafyan. “EcoLur” Informational NGO Chairman, Project Coordinator, expressed her gratitude to the donor organization, Nature Protection Ministry, Energy and Natural Resource Ministry, SHPP owners, the coordinating committee of the project for supporting the project implementation. She expressed special thanks to the working group of the project - Ashot Avalyan – Project Coordinator, Deputy Staff Head of RA Nature Protection Ministry, Roza Julhakyan – PhD in Chemistry, Head of Registration and Analysis Department of State Environmental Inspection of RA Nature Protection Ministry, Petros Shahnazaryan – PhD in Pedagogy, Head of Ararat Water Basin Territorial Development Department of Water Resources Agency of RA Nature Protection Ministry, Heriqnaz Mkrtchyan – Chief Specialist at “Environmental Impact Expert Assessment Center” SNCO of RA Nature Protection Ministry, Hovhannes Urfalyan – Deputy Director at “Information Analysis Center” SNCO of RA Nature Protection Ministry, Samvel Pipoyan – Ichthyologist, Dr. in Biology, Professor at Chair of Biology and Its Teaching Methodology at Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan, Levon Galstyan – Geographer, Coordinator at “Pan-Armenian Environmental Front” civic initiative, Grigor Gabayan – PhD in Technical Sciences, Member of Technical Committee on HTS Safety, Founder of “HydroEnergy” LLC, Inessa Gabayan – PhD in Technical Sciences, Director of “Hydroenergy” LLC, Aram Gabrielyan – PhD in Physics and Mathematics, National Focus Point of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Nazeli Vardanyan – Lawyer, Director of “Armenian Forests” NGO.
The programm imlemented by those people.
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June 24, 2016 at 20:33