US embassy cable - 05MADRID1580

UNCLAS MADRID 001580 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/PCI AND EUR/WE; EPA FOR 
INTERNATIONAL/WAXMONSKY AND PHILLIPS; DEPARTMENT ALSO PASS 
TO ESTH COLLECTIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, SP, Other 
SUBJECT: SPAIN:  WATER BILL PASSED BY LOWER HOUSE 
 
REF: 04 MADRID 3393 
 
1.  The Spanish lower house of Congress passed April 21 a 
landmark reform of the country's water policy, thus advancing 
one of the Socialist Party (PSOE) government's leading 
environment-related policy goals.  The bill passed by a vote 
of 188 in favor, 135 against (the former ruling Popular Party 
members), and three abstentions.  The bill now moves to the 
Senate, which can impede, but not kill, legislation. 
 
2.  The passage of this legislation will effectively 
terminate the Popular Party's grand scheme to bring water to 
the country's parched Mediterranean coastline by diverting 
the course of the Ebro river.  In its place, Spain will make 
major efforts to construct additional (and renovate/expand 
existing) coastal desalinization plants.  It will also take 
several regulatory steps to curb the water demand growth 
rate.  (Note:  See reftel for greater detail on the PSOE's 
water management "vision."  End Note.) 
 
3.  The PSOE had to accept almost 200 modifications of its 
original water bill in order to gain the necessary support of 
several smaller parties.  Certain more controversial parts of 
the bill were subject to separate votes (to allow micro-party 
opponents of pieces of the legislation to oppose parts of it 
while still voting in favor of the overall bill). 
 
4.  One interesting modification introduced by the bill is 
the requirement that the Environment Ministry's eight 
regional Hydrographic Confederations emit hydrographic impact 
studies before the central government approves any regional 
community or local development project.  The idea is to 
better factor in the water-related impact of development 
planning.  In theory, the Environment Ministry will refuse to 
approve development schemes if there are not sufficient water 
resources to meet the expected increased demand. 
 
5.  Another new aspect to Spain's water policy is the 
legislation's creation of "environmental agents" working for 
the regional Hydrographic Confederations.  These agents will 
have the authority to make unannounced inspections of 
waterworks and their reports can be introduced as evidence in 
any state prosecution for environment-related crimes. 
 
6.  COMMENT:  Since taking power a year ago, the PSOE 
government has made significant progress in advancing its two 
major environment-related policy goals:  (1) moving water 
policy from an emphasis on river diversion to desalinization 
(along with a far greater emphasis on reducing the water 
demand growth rate); and (2) revising Madrid's 
bureaucratic/regulatory framework in order to make a good 
faith effort to meet Spain's Kyoto Protocol-mandated 
greenhouse gas emissions targets.  The opposition Popular 
Party (PP) has gained little traction in attacking the PSOE's 
environmental priorities.  The PP's river diversion plan was 
widely viewed as a wasteful scheme designed to line the 
pockets of PP-linked landowners, contractors, and local 
politicians.  Spain's Kyoto commitments are enshrined in 
international treaty law and EU Directives. 
 
MANZANARES