Cantello’s quarry, the Regione Lombardia confirm the excavations

The regional council said no to the removal of Cantello’s quarry (the former Coppa). Italinerti’s excavations, back then authorized by the regional quarry plan, after the green light given by the Province of Varese (however, the plan was modified in 2011), will be able to continue. The decision will be brought to the regional council who will now have to vote on the very removal. The council is free to decide, there will definitely be a debate, but the council’s decision is a sign of political relevance.  The evaluations are of both technical (there is an opinion by the technical-regional committees for excavations) and juridical nature, because it appears there is no ground for a removal.

This is terrible news for the environmentalists who protest against the reopening of the hole in Tre Scali’s hill; the decision comes after an opinion by the technical-scientific committee who have re-examined the situation, following a request from Mr. Raimondi, regional councillor for the environment, and Mr. Grechi, regional councillor for transparency.

Against the quarry, the Province of Varese appealed to the T.A.R. and, later on, to the state council. The latter has already decided for a temporary stop of the operation, while waiting to reach a final decision on the matter.

Also Cantello’s commune is against, and Varese’s Aspem, mayor and communal council expressed their concern. Yesterday, however, the DP asked Varese’s council for a resolution against the quarry, which had been set aside last 14^th of February. 

Entrepreneur Antonio Nidoli claims the right for that intervention and also the fact that it is about making the hill safer; after an environmental intervention by a private entity, the commercialisation of the excavated ground is allowed. Nidoli also claims that the accusation of threatening the strati of Bevera’s aqueduct is false.

However, the environmentalist committees have a completely different opinion. Also regional councillors Alessandro Alfieri (DP), Stefano Tosi (DP), Rienzo Azzi (PoFP), Giorgio Puricelli (PoFP), Giangiacomo Longoni (NL) have spoken against the quarry.