“The moment has come when we see first-hand and enjoy the results of the League’s policy in Umbria and, in this case, in Terni in particular”. In fact, one year after the approval of the new law on water fees, the municipalities with diversion plants double their revenues receiving 35% of the revenue relating to the fixed component of the fees foreseen in the budget, all following the amendment to the new law no. 1/2023 of the Councilor Carissimi, the first signatory and that of the councilors of the second Commission chaired by Valerio Mancini who signed it.
“Following our intervention – highlights Carissimi in a note with the entire Lega Umbria council group, Valerio Mancini, Paola Fioroni, Manuela Puletti, Marco Castellari and Eugenio Rondini – the Umbria Region has just adopted the resolution with which it assigns and recalculates the amounts deriving from the concession fees for interventions in favor of the municipalities territorially affected by the large derivation plants. Consequently, following the reform promoted by the League, the city of Terni will be able to benefit from the periodic return of €2,471,470 per year which represents approximately 50% more than what it received in recent years by applying the previous budget law which regulated the term until to 2024 with no guarantee of refinancing.
The main difference compared to the past lies precisely in the definitive nature of the allocation of these resources which have therefore become structural, stable and not subject to the discretion of the budget law and can be invested by the Municipalities in projects for the development and valorisation of the territory. Just to appreciate the difference, compared to the current law, the allocations have gone from 260 thousand to 600 thousand euros for land use and housing, from 260 thousand to 600 thousand euros for roads and road infrastructure, from 800 thousand to 1 million 850 thousand euros for youth policies, sport and free time and from 280 thousand to 647 thousand for tourism for a total of approximately €3,700,000. These provisions will benefit not only the municipalities where large plants are located but also those in the territories affected by large hydroelectric diversions, 13 municipalities in total between Valnerina and Orvietano.
The benefits introduced by the change desired by the League do not end here. It has been envisaged that a further 500 thousand euros per year, equal to 5% of the revenues relating to the fixed component of the fees, will be allocated to financing the expenses relating to the preparation and management activities of the water protection plan, aimed at renaturation and restoration environment of regional water bodies. 2% of these resources will be allocated exclusively to the activities of the Municipalities territorially affected by the large diversions in order to safeguard the waterways and 3% to the other Municipalities in the region.
As if that wasn’t enough, Thanks to the amendment, concessionaires of large water diversions for hydroelectric use are now obliged to supply the Region with free electricity annually at a rate of 220 kWh for each kW of average nominal concession power., to be allocated at least 50% to public services and categories of users resident in the territories affected by the diversion (or the equivalent monetised, in whole or in part, on the basis of the average hourly zonal price actually paid to the system) . The Region, as an alternative to the sale of energy, may prefer its monetization, even in full, in favor of the same categories of users and for the planned public services, to the extent of at least 50% of the total.
Valerio Mancini leader of the Lega Umbria group and president of the Second Commission, who accompanied the process of amending the law proposed by the Council, underlined not only the commitment of his colleague Carissimi and the other regional councilors of the League, but also “the political will in wanting to reach out to the local communities, foreseeing the possibility in the future of a direct participation of the Umbria Region in the management of water fees. If today more resources are arriving at the Municipalities it is because the League wanted to modify the text of the law through common sense amendments, developed in synergy with the territories. With this document we give financial certainties to local administrators and less resources to multinationals, after all the water heritage belongs to all Umbrians”.
