WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIP 2003 - Environmental Ministry proposals and conditions

Reasoned Statement
In 1994 the idea to hold a classical disciplines World Ski Championship in 2003 was concieved in the Liberec region. The Union of the Czech Republic Skiers (Svaz lyžařů ČR) supported this intent without having previously considered other possible locations within the Czech Republic where the championship could be held. A special assotiation of four towns and municipalities of the above region called SKI 2003 have undertaken its preparation. Following their order a study has been prepared solving the preparation of the territory, especially in the area of the Jizera Mountains Preserves (CHKO Jizerské hory) to the north of the town of Bedřichov and on the Ještěd mountain. For this study an evaluation of the impact on the environment (so called EIA) has been prepared and negotiated. The proposing party stressed the supposed contribution to the development of the region, especially to the infrastructure, the development of enterprise, decrease of unemployment, etc.

According to the results of the evaluation of the impacts on the environment, the whole plan is situated in an ecologically problematic area with the mountain forest ecosystems of the Jizerské hory and Ještěd endangered and damaged by emissions. In the last decade wast areas of spruce forests here were fatally damaged and then cut down, which resulted in upland bare spots of total area of 90 000 000 m2 which are very difficult to afforest. The peripheral growths that have survived (and into which the project situates most of the cross-country skiing tracks) are very unstable and sensitive to any inappropriate cutting or ground interventions. It is necessary to preserve these growths compact as long as possible and through a well- considered, gradual system of regeneration make them more stable as for species and space.

As can be seen, it has been clear from the very beginning that building of a sports centre and especially cross-country skiing tracks in Bedřichov and its surroundings (the area of Ještěd is less endangered, it has already been intensively used for sports and therefore it is not considered hereinafter) is very controversial and therefore it is necessary to carefully consider the possible contributions to the development in contrast to real risks for the environment.

The Government of the Czech Republic have negotiated the problems of the 2003 Championship three times. In 1996 they supported the intent by Resolution No. 262/96 (Annex 1) and besides others charged the Minister of Environment to submit information on the method of solution and evaluation of the impact of the planned constructions on the environment by 31 December 1996. Following this, in March 1997, the Government passed Resolution No. 162/97 charging the Ministers concerned to submit a common document providing complex evaluation of the possibilities of the 2003 Championship (Annex 2). This Resolution included also the acceptance of the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Environment based on the conclusions of the evaluation of the impacts on the environment and other expert opinions restricting the choice of locations for cross-country skiing tracks. The board of the Union of the Czech Republic Skiers confirmed the capability of fulfilment of the imposed conditions in their letter to the Minister of Environment (Annex 3). The Ministries in charge prepared a very detailed document based on the data gathered during expert negotiations of the intersectional commission, which was submitted to the Government by the Minister of Education, Youth, and Physical Education. The Document was approved by the Governmental Resolution No. 274/97 of 30 April 1997 (Annex 4) and the Government gave their approval to the intent to hold a classical disciplines World Ski Championship in 2003 in the area of the Jizerské hory and Ještěd. However, they charged the organizers of the Championship to fulfil the conditions of the Ministry of Environment and the Minister of Education, Youth, and Physical Education to control this process. This Minister has been charged to submit a comprehensive report on the state of preparation of the Championship.

The Ministry of Environment and the regional bodies of the state administration in the sphere of protection of nature have paid great attention to the control of observation of the Governmental Resolution No. 274/97 conditions. A number of negotiations with representatives of SKI 2003 have taken place, concentrating especially on the cross-country skiing tracks which are the most controversial part of the whole project. According to the inquiry performed by the Ministry of Environment as of 7 April 1998, the state of fulfilment of the Governmental Resolution No. 274/97 conditions is as follows.

The project of the cross-country skiing rounds represents about 18 km of tracks. The exact length is not known because the SKI 2003 Assotiation have so far submitted the project documentation only for one round - the 5 km track. The plan of the remaining tracks (10.15 km) exists only in the form of a sketch in the outline foresters' map 1:10,000. The intentions of the organizers can therefore be strictly defined merely on about 30% of the length of the planned tracks. After a factual evaluation of the individual Governmental Resolution conditions the following facts may be stated:

• Condition I (in the forest growths older than 40 years the tracks may lead only through the existing vistas and paths which need not be widened) : The 5 km track does not observe it on 80% of its length (i.e. 4 km) and also on the other tracks there is a great number of sections supposing widenning; it is not possible to perform prospective terrain treatement without a serious impact on the root systems of the adjacent growths resulting in imparing their stability. Also some completely new tracks projected in these growths are no exception.
• Condition II (in the other growths the maximum width of the new and widened tracks may be 4.5 m and they may not lead across peat-bogs or wet locations, nor across areas with a lot of boulders where terrain treatment of a larger extent would be necessary) : It is not observed on many sections throughout the 5 km track. The track is projected to be 6 m wide in the crown with occupation of the growth areas in the cuts and fills up to 12, somewhere 15 m. In several sections the track is lead across wet locations, from time to time there are also terrains with a lot of boulders.
• Condition III (all wider tracks including the two-way ones will be led without the existing forest growths or they possibly may be located in the unprotected forest cultures) : The proposer did not accept the proposals of the Ministry of Environment to lead parts of the tracks out to the adjacent meadows and so the two- way tracks are planned also in the growths older than 40 years. The condition of the maximum 4.5 m width may not be observed due to their necessary width (over 6 m).
  At the time when the Governmental Resolution No. 274/97 was accepted, the SKI 2003 Assotiation "guaranteed or credibly coped with" (quotation from the text of the Governmental Resolution Annex) the Conditions IV - VII. As of 7 April 1998 the real state of affairs is as follows:
• Condition IV (newly constructed cross-country skiing tracks will not be led through the 1th zone of the preserves (CHKO) and the biocentres of the Territorial System of Ecological Stability (ÚSES) : It is observed with the proviso that parts of the projected tracks directly follow the boundaries of these areas. Therefore it would be necessary to ensure that these areas are not affected by the construction of the track and especially the audience.
• Condition V (the equipment of the tracks such as bridges, overpasses, etc., will be dismantleable and constructed in such a way, so that they do not cause permanent changes of the ground surface) : This condition is not observed, on the very 5 km round 7 bridge/underpass constructions from reinforced concrete are planned, constructed for the passage profile of 6,000 x 4,000 mm (allowing for a passage of a snow truck), with all the building and technical consequences.
• Conditions VI and VII (the possibility to dismantle the engineering networks; securing technical equipment from leakage of oil substances) can probably be secured.

Conclusions
Out of the 7 conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Environment, the observation of which makes according to the effective Governmental Resolution the 2003 Championship possible, only 3, mostly less substantial, have been observed (or there is a credible presumption of a guarantee of their observation) as of the date of completion of this document. The remaining 4 conditions are either not observed at all or to a very limited extent (about 20% of tracks). These are the very conditions which the proposers were not able to guarantee even at the time of preparation of the groundwork document for the Governmental Resolution No. 274/97. Non-observance of these conditions might be fatal for the very weakened forest complexes and therefore it cannot be allowed.

For technical realization of the 2003 Championship the organizers must first of all acquire the planning permission for the individual tracks. In this case it is to be passed by the accredited planning authority. According to the law, however, to pass a planning permission the approval from a body for the protection of nature must be previously acquired (according to the provision of § 44 of the Act No. 114/1992 Coll., on the protection of nature and landscape, in the effective wording). This approval, however, is conditioned by the observation of all the conditions of the Governmental Resolution No. 274/97 and it must be first negotiated with other participants of the proceedings including a number of non-governmental citizens' assotiations who have been expressing their strict disagreement with the holding of the 2003 Championship. The organizers, however, have not even made a planning application.

From 17 to 23 May 1998 a meeting of the International Skiers' Federation will take place in Prague which is to pass the final decicion about the location of the 2003 Championship. Besides the Czech Republic also Italy, Germany, and Japan have submitted their proposals. The Governmental Resolution No. 274/97 gives the organizers of the 2003 Championship the guarantee of the Government to support this project. However, the Government have at the same time obliged to control the observation of the seven conditions required by the Ministry of Environment.

The hitherto evaluation of the approach of the organizers to the observation of the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Environment in the period April 1997 - April 1998 raises a rightful apprehension that if the International Skiers' Federation in May 1998 decide for the 2003 Championship to be held in the Czech Republic, the independent bodies of administration under various departments (Ministry of Local Development, Ministry of Environment) deciding later during the planning proceedings will not be able to pass the necessary approvals. This would badly threaten the international prestige of the Czech Republic who would then be forced to withdraw the already approved candidature.

For all the above reasons I consider it necessary to inform the Government about these serious findings irrespective of the previously stipulated term of 27 November 1998, and to recommend re-evaluation of the Governmental Resolution No. 274/97 with recommendation to withdraw the approval of the intended candidature of the Czech Republic to organize the World Ski Championship in 2003. Such an action does not eliminate the possibility of holding the Championship in case all the stipulated conditions are observed, however, at the same time it rids the Government of responsibility for a possible failure of the candidature caused by a third party. Even if such decision of the Government influenced the standpoint of the International Skiers' Federation, thanks to the candidature of the other three countries the 2003 Championship could not be jeopardized.

As the decision to provide considerable sums from the state budget in the years 1997-2017 was a part of the governmental support, its return is being recommended. However, the amount of 15 million Kc for stabilization of the damaged forest growths in Jizerské hory and on Ještěd has been released for the year 1998 (an individual programme of the Ministry of Environment) the use of which does not directly depend on holding of the 2003 Championship, and an amount of 2.5 Kc to cover the costs connected with preparation of the Championship. I suggest that the means be let to serve the original purpose but no more should be released in 1999.

Annex No 1.

concerning the possibility to hold the Classical Disciplines World Ski Championship in 2003 in the Czech Republic

The Government

I. take into consideration the complex evaluation of the possibilities to hold the Classical Disciplines World Ski Championship in 2003 in the Czech Republic ("Championship" hereinafter)

II. agree

1. with the intended candidature of the Czech Republic to organize the Championship,
   
2. to release financial means from the state budget up to the amount of 678,150 thousand Kc to cover the necessary expenses;

III. charges the Minister of Education, Youth, and Physical Education to follow the development of the candidature set in the point II/1 herein and in case it is approved by the International Skiers' Federation in June 1998 to

1. coordinate further cooperation of the Ministries of Finance, Transport and Communications, Local Development, and Environment on their share in organizing of the Championship while respecting the ecological conditions necessary for this organizing included in the Annex No.2 Part III of the submitted document,
   
2. to prepare and submit to the Government the project of the Championship including the analysis of the financial expenses,
   
3. to submit to the Government the information of the state of praparation of the Championship by 27 November 1998.

Will be prepared by:
the Ministers of Education, Youth, and Physical Education, Environment, Local Development, Transport and Communications, Deputy Prime Ministers, and Ministers of Agriculture and Finance

Prime Minister
prof. Ing. Václav K l a u s, CSc., by his own hand

Annex No 2.

Following the Governmental Resolution No.262/1996 of 2 May 1996, the Ministry of Environment submitted the "Information on the solution and evaluation of the impacts of the constructions projected in connection with the proposal to hold the Classical Disciplines World Ski Championship in 2003 on the environment of the Jizeské hory and the Ještěd ridge." The information identified the risks arising from the submitted project, especially for the forest complexes and water system of the region. After negotiating it the Government took these conditions into consideration and imposed preparation of a new comprehensive document to evaluate the possibilities of holding the Classical Disciplines World Ski Championship in 2003. The information also included conditions the observation of which could quite positively minimize these impacts.

Results of the hitherto negotiations:
During the preparation of the bases for the document to be submitted to the Government the proposer presented observation of five conditions and guaranteed some partial changes, which had not been included in the previous proposal, to fulfil the remaining three conditions included in the Annex 2 of the Governmental Resolution No.162/1997.

The presented modifications were directed especially towards fulfilment of the most important conditions restricting interventions in the forest growths.

These are the following restrictions:

• in the forest growths older than 40 years the tracks may lead only through the existing vistas and paths which need not be widened
• in the other growths the maximum width of the new and widened tracks may be 4.5 m and they may not lead across peat-bogs or wet locations, nor across areas with a lot of boulders where terrain treatment of a larger extent would be necessary
• all wider tracks including the two-way ones will be led without the existing forest growths or they possibly may be located in the unprotected forest cultures

As the hitherto submitted report on the extent of the terrain treatments show, these conditions have been observed only on a part of the cross-country skiing tracks, as for the rest, the conditions are not observed.
The proposer has coped with the other conditions or credibly guarantees their fulfilment.

These are the following restrictions:

• newly constructed cross-country skiing tracks will not be led through the 1th zone of the preserves (CHKO) and the biocentres of the Territorial System of Ecological Stability (ÚSES)
• the equipment of the tracks such as bridges, overpasses, etc., will be dismantleable and constructed in such a way, so that they do not cause permanent changes of the ground surface
• the engineering networks established only for the purposes of the Championship will be temporary; usage of chemical preparations is impossible for solidifying of snow on the tracks
• all the technical equipment must be secured from leakage of oil substances

When providing access to the sport areas, the overall impacts on the environment must be minimized, especially damaging of the area along the tracks by the audience moving from place to place, and building of new parking lots within the Preserves (CHKO) outside the inner areas of municipalities must be prevented. To fulfil these requirements preparation of an extra study of the ways all the sport areas will be made accessible for the transport is recommended.

The Government have been acquainted with the opinion of the Ministry of Environment of the CR, i.e. that the project of the classical disciplines ski championship in 2003 is situated in an ecologically controversial area (a heavy impact of emissions on the forest, natural preserves) and brings considerable risks as for the impact on the environment of the region concerned. Therefore the observation of the conditions stipulated in the Annex 2 of the Resolution of the Government of the CR No.162/97 is necessary if the project is to be realized.

The rightfulness of the stipulated conditions have been proved during the intersectional negotiations. Their observation is the basic prerequisite for the whole project to pass through the appropriate administrative proceedings by various bodies of the state administration. The stipulated conditions - besides the reduction of the impacts on the environment - reduce the risk of arising of investments caused by the necessity to repair the damages of the forest growths and water system. In the hitherto submitted partial modifications the conditions are respected to an absolutely insufficient extent. Their feasibility, however, have been proved both by the already performed partial modifications and by the standpoint of the Board of the Union of the Czech Republic Skiers.

Therefore it is necessary that the binding character of the restricting conditions for the organizers remain a part of the Governmental Resolution.

© "S.O.S. Jizera Mountains Alliance", Jan Rovenský , 4. 5. 1998, Mgr. Petr Kuca, 27. 11. 1999