The Minister of the Environment, Water, Infrastructure and Territory, Salomé Pradas, has announced that she will modify the regional laws on Climate Change and Animal Protection “with good sense”, since she has defended that the protection of the environment and species is compatible with economic development and with the arrival of investments: “There is no more prohibiting for the sake of prohibiting.”
In his first appearance in Les Corts, Pradas also advanced his intention to reform forestry regulations, reopen natural parks to the public, promote a strategy with hunters to protect this activity or buy 600 buses.
In addition, he has promised to exhaust the available funds to unclog the paralyzed environmental files and has guaranteed that the Consell will use all the Government’s cuts to the Tajo-Segura transfer and will demand the execution of the investments in infrastructure committed by the State.
During his speech, combining Valencian and Spanish, Pradas (PP) has criticized the management of the previous Botànic government in all its areas, especially against its “salon environmentalism”, and has emphasized that his priority will be the development of Valencian Community.
“I will go wherever it is necessary and to whomever it is necessary to defend the interests of our land, which will always be ahead,” he stated. To achieve this, he intends to act “without complexes” in territorial development, execute infrastructures that have “been forgotten” in the last eight years and be in contact with city councils, the Government and the EU.
In the Environment he has announced the review of the Climate Change laws – he believes that the current one has “a lot of talk and little application” and generates uncertainty – and Animal Protection – “without fanfare” and together with an awareness plan against abandonment – , as well as the approval of a Coastal Law project that allows “exercising to the maximum” powers, making uses compatible and protecting traditional maritime towns.
He also wants to “redefine” the Territorial Action Plan for the Coastal Green Infrastructure (PATIVEL) and address the Waste Plan of the Valencian Community “without sectarianism and impositions.”
Along these lines, the review of the regulations of natural parks and a first plan for their dissemination and opening to visitors have advanced. “Our 22 natural jewels deserve to be cared for and open to the public,” she said, and promised to “give a change to environmental education policies.”
From the podium, he signed the beginning of the procedures for the new Master Plan for Use and Management (PRUG) of l’Albufera and recalled his commitment to promote “from scratch” the Natural Resources Management Plan (PORN) of the Túria after the “three devastating sentences” that have brought him down.
Regarding hunting, he has guaranteed that they will support it “decisively” through a strategy in which he works together with the autonomous federation, considering that it is “one of the most consolidated traditions” and contributes to reducing damage in agriculture and generating “wealth”. “The time for their criminalization has run out,” she emphasized.
In Water, he has promised to “defend every drop” and reject every “unjustified and ideological” cut to the Tajo-Segura, within a strategy with irrigators, administrations, socioeconomic agents and universities to “if necessary” go to court.
In Territory, Pradas has announced a “shock plan” to resolve requests for installations “until the available funds are exhausted”, as it has assured that there are more than 33,000 pending solar panels and batteries in homes. In addition to a reinforcement of personnel to process integrated environmental authorizations.
After promising that there will no longer be differences in criteria within the Department, he has insisted on his objective of undertaking a plan to simplify the administrative bureaucracy, which contemplates modifying the Law of Territorial Planning, Urban Planning and Landscape (LOTUP) and reducing resolution times of files, “always from sustainability”.
During the debate, PSPV and Compromís have questioned his position on climate change, since they have recalled that he governs together with Vox.
The socialist Mª José Salvador, who was responsible for Public Works, has demanded that Pradas not make a “bad copy” of the PP’s policies before 2015 and not “put at risk” European funds, in addition to reiterating that he “abandon” the water war” with the transfer and emphasize that the impetus for the Castellón airport was, according to her, thanks to the Botànic.
From Compromís, Mª José Calabuig and Juan Bordera have joked about whether the buses will be to solve the problems in school transportation or if the opening of parks represents climate “negotiation”. They have also criticized him for agreeing with Vox “in the four most decisive years of the climate emergency.”
