It’s March 13, 2024. The newspaper The province publish an interview with Renato MazzonciniCEO of the Milan-Brescia multiutility.
The committee has been around for a year No BiometaNo opposes the construction of the A2A plant in the Bosco ex Parmigiano-San Rocco area.
The top manager comes in full force on the opponents of the operation. Pragmatic and quick style from Brescia.
He lacks the sympathy of a Donatone Braghetti, symbol of the rich buzzurro of Milan to drink. That of: «Via della Spiga-hotel Cristallo di Cortina: 2 hours 54 minutes 27 seconds. Alboreto is nothing».
He does not possess the charisma and evil determination of Gordon GekkoWall Street shark, that of: «It’s all about money, the rest is conversation».
Mazzoncini does not arouse the smile of the former, nor the antipathy of the latter. He causes a grimace of amazement, accompanied by a “What the fuck is he talking about?”.
«The protests? – pontificates Mazzoncini – Unfortunately Nimby syndrome (Not in my backyard, ed.) we all know her well; Like this, wherever people try to build a system there are discussions… THowever, I think it would be sufficient to take a look at the ones we have already built (one in Cavaglià, in the province of Biella, and the other in Lacchiarella, in the Milan area): they have similar dimensions to the one planned for Cremona and – seeing is believing – they are not really generating any type of negative impact on the relevant territory. So, let’s see what we can do…» (The provinceMarch 18, 2024).
The statement strengthens the resolve of the opponents. Good citizens. Not four ran away from home. They don’t pasdaran of environmentalism. Not with blinders on and staring at your own navel.
Their leaders, Michel Marchi, Luigi Lipara, Luca Ferrarini, they are not among the Masanielli people’s leaders. Most likely they do not appear among the extremists registered by Digos.
Intelligent and rational, fine strategists, thoughtful and determined, they lead the troops of No BiometaNo, armed with administrative documents and technical reports. Clear ideas, precise objective, unity of purpose.
They are against the system proposed by A2A and supported with a drawn sword by the centre-left city administration, they oppose it in a civil and non-violent way.
The interview fosters a sense of annoyance among the undecided and the neutral. It leaves those in favor and supporters of A2A indifferent. Divides political forces. Center-right critical, center-left prone to multi-utility.
Nothing new. The piddina position is not specifically linked to A2A. It is a general field choice. One might venture, it is Weltanschauung.
The Democratic Party is full of philosophers. Of intellectuals, not very Gramscian, but very lively. Of lamped executives. Of technocrats. Of washed out reds.
It’s neoliberalism in Cremonese sauce. The power transferred from citizens to the multi-utility. To the city’s economic and financial establishment.
In Cremona, on the environment, the Democratic Party and its allies are not a flash of war. I am slow foot. Sloths. Shortsighted. Maybe one-eyed. Sleepy. Abulic.
Summoning Nimby is a method as old as day. Passed. Wet gunpowder.
Nimby today is not an ace of trumps, but a discard. Trick to win easy. Last arrow left in the quiver of the Robin Hood tarot cards. Those who instead of being with the inhabitants of Sherwood Forest are aligned with the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Nimby is the ridiculous self-defense of the William Tell which focus on the child and not the apple.
Nimby has stopped enchanting. It induces irritation and intolerance. Indifference.
Nimby reveals little consideration for the Cremonese. It’s superficiality. Excessive security. Exaggerated evaluation of one’s muscles. Underestimation of the opponent.
Nimby is the boogeyman, the bogeyman of companies operating in the energy transition, the new El Dorado.
Nimby is the coccidiosis of the goose that lays the golden eggs. Pimby (Please in my back yard) the antidote. For societies, the energy transition involves the acceptance of lighter and fewer eggs. For politicians and public administrators it implies the ability to listen, dialogue and engage with the territory. For both, the absence of the prejudice that categorizes citizens interested in the environmental impact of production and industrial interventions as pains in the ass is essential. Annoying curiosity always and in any case.
Supporters of No BiometaNo, together with institutional subjects, before Mazzoncini recommended it, they had gone to see. With magnifying glass. But not the systems. Cards. They had called the bluff and informed the relevant bodies.
On June 18, 2024, a few days ago, the Provincial Services Conference certified that A2A does not have poker in its hands. Maybe a trio.
Roberto Mariani, mayor of Stagno, communicates the news. All the local media, including the regime ones, spread it.
«The citizens win. A2A biomethane megaplant rejected and archived by the Services Conference» (Cremona evening). «Biomethane plant rejected, the mayors rejoice (Vittorianozanolli.it). «Stop the biomethane plant” (The province). «Cr, biomethane plant rejected» (Telecolor). «Stop services conference at the biomethane plant» (Cremonaoggi).
The decision of the Services Conference to block the construction of the plant was unanimous.
Two days later, on June 20, on the portal of Lombardy Information System Environmental Impact Assessment (Silvia) of the Lombardy Region, the reasons for the decision are given.
Instead of seeing is believing. Read to understand. And getting angry at the politicians who should have intervened earlier and didn’t.
Applause to the technicians of the Municipality, the Province and the ATS and to all the other non-political subjects for having kept their backs straight and carried out their work with professionalism and rigor.
Applause for having injected citizens with an infusion of trust towards control bodies.
Applause for having fueled the flame of hope.
Not all is lost.
Strike. Skittles down.
The arrogance of the municipal administration of Cremona has been overwhelmed, stubborn in defending the project even with discordant polemics towards the minority’s observations (Vittorianozanolli.it11 August 2023).
A2A’s power reduced. He’s not invincible. On the banks of the Po, other subjects are more powerful than her.
The dwarves defeated the giants. Margaret Meadanthropologist, was right: «Never doubt that a small group of conscientious and committed citizens can change the world. In truth it is the only thing that has ever happened».
In the Republic of Marubino, the Cinquecento win against the Ferraris every 30 years. And always on June 18th.
It is June 18, 1994. With a referendum duly called by the Municipality, the citizens reject the location of the incinerator in San Rocco.
Ten days later, on 28 June, the centre-left administration betrayed the outcome of the consultation. Throw the will of the people down the toilet.
The incinerator is built in the place repudiated by the citizens. In the place where A2A, owner of the plant, had also proposed placing biomethane.
Marchi has not forgotten this stab at democracy. Thus, at the moment of the victory toast for the ban on biomethane, he underlined «For today we celebrate, and we keep our attention high to continue to defend our territory and our health» (CremonaoggiJune 18).
Nobody sleeps. The future of the city and change are decided while we are awake. And with participation. No BiometaNo sign.
