Hörður Arnarson, director of Landsvirkjun, has stated that he does not believe there is cause to undertake another assessment of the environmental impact of the power company’s activities on the Mývatn area.
As Landsvirkjun prepares to construct a 45-90 megawatt power plant at Bjarnarflag, in the Mývatn and Laxá area, demand for the state-owned power company to re-evaluate their potential environmental impact has been growing, RÚV reports. The current environmental assessment is a decade old and fails to address factors that could adversely impact the region.
“We have respect for people’s views and take them into account as we continue to strengthen our research and monitoring in the region. But it still has not been considered necessary to request a new environmental impact assessment,” said Hörður on the matter.
This decision from Landsvirkjun comes in the wake of public uproar over the devastating impact the company’s Fljótsdalur power plant and Kárahnjúkar hydropower plant have had on Lagarfljót, a famous lake in the east, nearby Egilsstaðir. Since Landsvirkjun’s facilities in the area became operational the heavy sediment flowing into the lake has killed of 80% of the trout population and negatively affected the ecosystem at large.
Related:
Environmental Agency Investigating Protection of Mývatn Area
Lagarfljót Ecosystem Continues To Deteriorate
Impact Of Kárahnjákar Was Known, Former Progressive Minister Of Environment Stands By The Project
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
