An energy plant for wood combustion was tentatively planned for the industrial park "Op der Sang", but the municipalities of Clervaux and Wincrange have already vetoed plans, and the citizen's initiative "Gesond an d'Zukunft asbl" have made their concerns known regarding emissions, water consumption and sustainable development.
An information meeting was organised to discuss the topic on Wednesday evening in Boxhorn, with some 150 people making the trip. The meeting lasted two and a half hours, with the mayor of Wincrange, the deputy mayor of Clervaux, two MPs from the North and a number of other local politicians present.
Following a presentation by a Belgian expert, who is also opposed to the plans, the reaction of a number of spectators was clear: such an energy plant has no place in Oesling. A number of people expressed their concerns, particularly concerning health.
The figures quoted in the presentation were anything but trivial, based in part on studies carried out by Commodo, as well as actual figures taken from other countries.
The president of the citizen's initiative "Gesond an d'Zukunft asbl", Ben Ansay, said the numbers were alarming, particularly those concerning water usage. The Commodo file suggests the project would use around 750,000 square metres of water per year, which is the same amount that residents of Clervaux and Wincrange together - about 10,000 people - would consume in one year.
In spite of this, the Ministry of Labour has given the project authorisation. Mayors Emile Eicher and Marcel Thommes have again confirmed their strict opposition to the plans.
The ball is currently in the court of the syndicate leading the municipalities of the canton of Clervaux, Sicler. The syndicate currently owns the land earmarked for the project. Sicler's president and vice-president are the mayors of Clervaux and Wincrange, and have officially made a promise to concerned citizens that there will be no power station in Lentzweiler.
