Heřminovy continues to fight against the dam with a petition and a concert

Nové Heřminovy (Bruntálsko) - Nové Heřminovy in Bruntál, which are to be partially flooded by the water of the new dam, are once again resisting the project. Representatives of the small municipality in Jeseník, together with the Hnutí Duha, organized a new petition campaign. They are also preparing a concert in protest. They hope for media attention and public involvement from this activity. On the other hand, the Odra River Basin continues to prepare the construction valued at an estimated eight billion.
     The construction of the dam, which requires the demolition of 54 houses, 23 of which are residential, has already been decided by the government in the past. The Odra River Basin is purchasing land, and the affected residents are leaving the municipality. However, Mayor Radek Sijka is not giving up the fight. "We are using the resources we have. If we had the money, we would hire a team of lawyers, and they wouldn’t even build a rabbit hutch here. But that’s not feasible given the budget. We are resisting as best as we can," he told ČTK.
     He hopes that the petition will primarily engage the public. "We haven't given up yet. We want people to see how much the project will cost. There is talk of eight billion. Economists say it could be as much as twenty. A third of that will end up in the pockets of officials and various contractors. People should be alarmed because something smells fishy here," he said.
     According to the mayor, the pressure to build the dam stems from the interests of construction companies and some politicians. "We don't have specific names, but I don’t know any other logical explanation. Why is someone still pushing for the billion-dollar option, when according to opposing assessments, flood protection can be provided cheaper and without the need to flood houses? In this case, the pricier it is, the better," claims the mayor.
     Interested parties can electronically sign the petition at the website www.stopprehrade.cz. They can also add their signature in person at the planned concert against the dam on June 30 in Nové Heřminovy. This is already the third petition against the project. In 2003, one was organized by Arnika, and signatures were collected in Prague as well. Five years later, another petition was organized by the Civic Association Obava, which was founded in the municipality at that time.
     The project preparations are continuing. The Ministry of the Environment approved the EIA study in February assessing the impacts of the planned dam on the environment. The approval was necessary for the continuation of design and preparatory work. "We are continuing to prepare documents for the zoning decision. We expect that the other flood protection structures on the watercourse will begin construction as early as next year. The dam itself will be the last. It is planned for 2016," said ČTK commercial director of the Odra River Basin, Čestmír Vlček.
     The construction of the reservoir in Nové Heřminovy has been discussed for several decades. It became relevant again after the catastrophic floods in Moravia and Silesia in 1997. The government ultimately chose a smaller variant. The Ministry of Agriculture anticipates costs of nearly eight billion crowns. For that, the dam and a new road should be built, but the price also includes additional modifications to the entire riverbed.