Over 800 signatures against the biomethane plant planned for the Marés area, in Alenquer, were delivered this Monday at the City Hall meeting. José Manuel Catarino, a resident of the area, delivered the petition to the executive, which, according to him, gathered the signatures in just 12 days. The residents of Marés, Abrigada and surrounding areas have been opposing the project, questioning the capacity of the road network to support heavy traffic, potential odors and impacts on quality of life.
The Alenquer City Council has already issued an unfavorable opinion on the project within the Environmental Impact Assessment, pointing out the lack of guarantees regarding odors, impacts on residential areas and accessibility. The municipality argued that location alternatives allowing greater distance from housing should be further explored. The project, promoted by Gás da Terra with an announced investment of 20.5 million euros, aims to valorize livestock effluents and other agricultural and agro-industrial by-products, and is planned approximately 500 meters from the village of Marés.
Among those present at the meeting was Ernesto Silva, who presented a list of accidents that occurred in similar facilities in France, including explosions and spills, questioning the existence of an emergency plan for the population. Rui Palha da Silveira, owner of a tourism unit in Abrigada with an investment of nearly one million euros, expressed concerns that the plant could compromise the tourism activity in the area.
Vice-president Paulo Matias reiterated the Council's solidarity with the population, guaranteeing that the municipality will fight alongside the residents. Several councilors, including Tiago Pedro, Carlos Sequeira and Francisco Guerra, debated the process, questioning the location of the project and the way it was conducted. Despite the unfavorable opinion, residents want to know how far the municipality can go if the environmental procedure proceeds favorably for the developer.
