RA Environmen Ministry proposes to allow the construction of small hydropower plants on the prohibited rivers in the one kilometer section up to the state border of the Republic of Armenia, which have 40 percent or more derivation pipes. The rationale also says that the project was developed considering the presentation of investment plans for the construction of new small hydroelectric power stations in the border area one kilometer to the state border.
It should be noted that Annex of Decision N 488-N, not only the rivers with a total load of 40% of the derivation pipes were included, but also those rivers that are spawning grounds of endemic red-listed fish species or characteristic of the area.
Two months before the circulation of this draft law, RA government officials were discussing the issue of building a new small hydropower plant on the Vorotan River, prohibited by resolution N488-N submitted by "Zangezur ETSSH" LLC.
The company previously applied to Armen Khachatryan, Deputy Chair of Defense and Security Committee of RA National Assembly, "Civil Agreement" faction MP.
"Zangezur ETS" LLC requested help to solve the problem related to land allocation and change of land status related to RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, as well as help to obtain water use permit and environmental impact expert assessment from RA Environment Ministry. As a result, RA Deputy Environment Minister Tigran Gabrielyan organized a working discussion, where Inga Zarafyan, President of "EcoLur" Informational NGO, also participated on February 3, 2023.
She presented the report prepared by EcoLur experts regarding the distribution of water resources of the Vorotan River, the conflict of interests of water users.
The information collected by experts can be found here:
In fact, RA Environment Ministry sets a precedent when an individual investment program becomes the reason for a radical change of a bylaw.
April 13, 2023 at 17:13