The Regional Secretary for the Environment and the Sea announced at the Azorean Parliament last night that in addition to the investment in the preservation of biodiversity on the islands, the Government will promote the investment in water and waste management.
In the case of waste management, Álamo Meneses, who spoke at the presentation and discussion session of the Plan and Budget of the Region for 2010, said that the Government will invest 11 million Euros in infrastructure for waste, awarding a priority to the islands with status of “Biosphere Reserve.” This process will start in the infrastructures of the larger islands.
The island of Terceira and São Miguel are integrated in this context, where, in collaboration with the local authorities, “we will create the conditions to receive waste from the smaller islands and organize a large-scale export of the generated waste,” said the Regional Secretary.
The plan also includes the water management, where the Government’s investment will focus on the protection of water strings and on the installation of a system for monitoring water quality.
Regarding the energy sector, the Regional Secretary revealed that the Government will largely invest in the “PROENERGIA" programme with “the purpose of substituting the consumption of fossil fuels for renewable energies at a domestic level” in addition to other major investment public lighting networks “in order to reduce the consumption with a set of automatic devices.
Furthermore, the Government, in a “joint initiative with EDA,” will boost the operation of the geothermal power plant on Terceira and the best use of water resources, especially on the island of Flores.”
Álamo Meneses added that the use of wind energy “on the islands where such is economically viable” is another area comprised by the plan to promote renewable energies in order to reduce our energy bill and to contribute to a better environment.”