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EPAW - Press release
Paris, July 15, 2011

Conservationist Mark Duchamp named CEO of EPAW

The European Platform Against Windfarms (EPAW) announces the nomination of Mark Duchamp to the position of Chief Executive Officer.

"Mark has been of great help to us since the creation of EPAW", says Jean Louis Butré, its President. This well-known personality of the world's ecology and ornithology milieu has been campaigning for many years for increased respect and protection of biodiversity. He is the President of « Save the Eagles International », a global platform which aims at saving the eagles, but also the birds and nature in general from the serious hazards associated with windfarms.

This reinforcement of EPAW, which as of today represents 484 organizations from 22 European countries, goes beyond the ornithological aspect. It confirms the will to give a voice to all windfarm victims, present and future. EPAW has become aware that an increasing number of windfarm neighbors are suffering from "wind turbine syndrome", an ailment now recognized by many physicians world-wide. An additional effect for neighbors is finding that their property has become unsalable due to the proximity of wind turbines.

EPAW is determined to see that the European Commission abides by the norms and regulations already in place in respect of industry and the environment. Recently, the Platform drew the attention of the Commission to certain irregularities in the way EU subventions were being handed out (1). More transparency is needed, says EPAW, in keeping with the United Nations Aarhus Convention, which requires the EU, as well as the 44 countries that signed it, to deliver any information required by their citizens concerning the environment.

Contact:

Jean-Louis Butré
tel +33 6 80 99 38 08
www.epaw.org
contact@epaw.org

(1) On June 29, 2011 EPAW has presented to the Commission a new request for information under the Aarhus Convention, questioning the legality of financing a project of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) with EU public funds. EWEA is a lobby which caters to the financial interests of windfarm promoters. According to EPAW, this money earmarked for studies on the wind industry should have been paid to independent experts, and the studies should not have been done by the very people who lobby Brussels for subventions to their industry.

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