Environmental groups’ complaint dismissed over afforestation project near Húsavík

A complaint from environmental organizations regarding controversial afforestation near Húsavík has been dismissed because the municipality failed to notify the planning authority of the project. The groups argue this sets a dangerous precedent, allowing municipalities to bypass environmental assessments.

The Environmental and Natural Resources Review Board rejected the complaint from the environmental group Náttúrugrið, citing that the municipality did not submit the project for consideration. The decision raises concerns about potential violations of the Environmental Assessment Act, as noted by Snæbjörn Guðmundsson, the chair of Náttúrugrið.

During the summer, significant attention was drawn to the tilled land in Saltvík near Húsavík, where bog land was converted for conifer plantation in the name of carbon sequestration. Similar projects occurred at Þverá in Reykjahverfi. The company Yggdrasill Carbon, involved in the land works, sells certified carbon credits to businesses.

Náttúrugrið had previously filed a complaint against the municipality of Norðurþing for granting Yggdrasill permission to proceed with the projects, even after both the North-East Nature Research Institute and the Icelandic Institute of Natural History opposed them.

The Board indicated that since there had been no determination from the planning authority regarding the need for an environmental impact assessment, the complaint from an interest group like Náttúrugrið could not be admitted, resulting in the dismissal of the case. The ruling highlighted the municipality’s insufficient consideration of environmental impacts, warning that such oversights may hinder free organizations’ ability to fulfill their public roles in safeguarding community interests.