VDP Srl

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The Melita TransGas Pipeline project is part of the Maltese Government’s development strategy aimed at establishing a connection to the European gas network, through a submarine gas pipeline linking Sicily with the island of Malta, in order to import gas from the Italian national network.

The project has been identified as a Project of Community Interest within the priority corridor “North-South Interconnections concerning the pipeline network in Western Europe” - PIC5.19.

The pipeline has a total length of about 158 km, of which 63 km in Italy; it will reach the maximum depth of 158 meters below sea levewith a capacity of 2 billion Sm3 / year.

The pipeline route in Italy includes an onshore stretch of about 7 km, starting from the landing point on the eastern coast of the industrial area of Gela, and the installation of a terminal for connection with “Snam Rete Gas” National Network in the municipal territory of Gela (Province of Caltanissetta). On Maltese side, the onshore stretch is about 1 km; the landing point of the marine cable is located near Delimara power station, while the terminal station is located south of the current regasification station. The offshore stretch between the landing point and the Italian-Maltese equidistance line, will be buried in shallow water marine sediments , in order to protect it from damage, while in deep water the pipeline will simply be laid on the seabed.

SPECIFICITY OF THE STUDY

The Gas Pipeline Project connecting Sicily and Malta is subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment procedure. The initial phase is related to the Permitting and concerns the obtainment of the permits required in Italy (Single Authorization Decree) and in Malta (Development Permit). On the Italian side, the setting of the EIA has been developed according to the new decree 104/2017, the guidelines for the environmental monitoring plans for the projects subject to EIA and the manuals for the monitoring of the species and habitats of Community interest (Habitats Directive, 2016), as well as according to the Legislative Decree n. 155 (monitoring and management of ambient air quality) and Law n.447 / 95 (noise pollution). The project includes the development of the Appropriate Assessment study according to the EU Habitats Directive, as the project will interfere directly with the following Italian Natura 2000 sites of Community interest: ITA05001 (Biviere and Macconi di Gela) and ITA050012 (Torre Manfria, Biviere and Piana di Gela).

The Environmental Impact Assessment takes into account in this case the following factors:

- Land and sea uses

- Hydrodynamic modeling

- Marine and coastal environment

- Marine ecology

- Landscape and visuality

- Geology, geomorphology, hydrogeology and hydrology

- Archaeological sites and historical-cultural heritage

- Noise and vibration

- Features of the population

The project foresees the technical implementation of the Marine Environment Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56 / EC), which provides for the achievement of good environmental status in EU marine waters.