La Spezia and its surroundings have been dealing with the militarization
of their territory for nearly two centuries. The construction of theNavy Arsenal in 1869 is one of the most obvious examples, but not the
only one. It covers an area of nearly 900,000 m2 (of which 180,000 m2
are built-up), 1,400,000 m2 of inland waters, approximately 12 km of
roads, and 6.5 km of docks. Its construction provided a significant
economic and demographic boost to the city, especially due to the
employment capacity of the shipyard workshops, which, over time, has
virtually disappeared.
This development model has profoundly affected the territory, leaving a
moat much deeper than the one separating it from the city, an
insurmountable barrier far more insurmountable than the wall. To build
the Arsenal, archaeological finds of Roman and pre-Roman origin were
lost, waterways, cemeteries, and churches were relocated. San Francesco
Grande, an example of 15th-century architecture, is now the headquarters
of the Carabinieri (cloister) and a paint depot (church). The
foundations of the ancient medieval church of San Maurizio are buried
within the perimeter marked by the wall that has separated the city from
the sea for 150 years. After the Second World War, the Arsenal
maintained a central role in La Spezia's economy, a site of significant
conflicts for the emancipation of the working class. But at the same
time, it began a process of slow and inexorable decline. After employing
approximately 12,000 workers, the arsenal's workshops began to give way
to abandonment, huge swathes of land where, from time to time,
significant environmental problems emerge. By 2024, the official
workforce will number fewer than 300, with further reductions expected
due to future retirements, justifying a massive "privatization" of the
Defense Department.
The environmental impact of La Spezia's military areas is significant.
The La Spezia Public Prosecutor's Office (2004) disclosed the presence
of an illegal landfill containing toxic substances (asbestos, lead
batteries, cadmium and depleted uranium, parts of electrical signaling
devices, helicopter blades, lightning rods, dials, pressure gauges, and
instrumentation containing radioactive materials, heavy metals,
polychlorinated biphenyls, paints, etc.) called Campo in Ferro. An old,
disused timber seasoning basin, located between the sea and close to
houses. Some of the waste was removed, but what remains remains a
potential risk. It is covered by a layer of soil and a phytoremediation
project, limiting airborne dispersion but not infiltration due to the
presence of spring water, some of which is recorded on the seabed
opposite the landfill.
During a weather alert (2018), winds destroyed some warehouse roofs
(asbestos cement). The Italian Navy reports that approximately 10,000 m2
of asbestos cement roofing is present in the dockyard area, with a total
asbestos presence of 104,000 m2. Floors, pipes, and sheets are in a
serious state of disrepair.
Then there is the issue of demolition. In the case of the Carabiniere
and Alpino ships, the demolitions were carried out in dry docks, without
prior assessment of health impact, ignoring the Integrated Environmental
Authorization procedure, despite the tonnage required. Demolitions on
the quayside were halted following complaints to the Public Prosecutor's
Office.
The engines of military vessels docked at the quayside produce air
emissions that often spread across the entire gulf: water vapor,
according to the Navy, but ARPAL (Regional Environmental Protection
Agency) has highlighted the high level of pollution (PM10, PM2.5) on
site. On several occasions, the danger related to the transit and
docking of NATO nuclear-powered vessels, or incidents involving the
transit of radioactive cargo (such as the case of the poison ship,
Pacific Egret), has been raised, raising the risks associated with an
emergency plan that was never communicated to civil authorities and the
public. The proximity of a Seveso facility, considered a "major accident
risk," like the Panigaglia regasification plant, can only increase risks
and concerns.
Adding to this disheartening picture is the Blue Bases. In 2022, the
Ministry of Defense announced the feasibility study for the upgrade and
modernization of the logistics support capabilities of the La Spezia
base, as part of the military base refinishing program. An
administrative procedure for the construction of new mooring spaces,
dredging of the entrance channel, and maneuvering areas complements the
upgrade of port facilities for "basic services." This operation is
deemed necessary to allow the new naval units to operate, which,
compared to those currently in service, would have different technical
and logistical requirements during the docking period, which are
currently not exhaustive, as well as "being part of the adaptation of
national naval bases to ensure compliance with the new NATO operational
standards (Bi-SC Directive 85-8)." The tender for the design includes
the construction of three new mooring piers (Varicella 3, Scali 1 and
2), the expansion of an existing one (Varicella 1) and the expansion of
an existing quay (Lagora), with the structural requirement for the
transit, above the quays, of heavy vehicles for refueling operations (80
tons or 4 T/m2). Such an expansion would allow the functionality of at
least 14 berths for larger naval units: 1 Aircraft Carrier
(Cavour/Trieste) or NATO Large Ship, 1 Logistic Support Ship, 1 DDG
Destroyer, 7 FREMM Frigates and 4 Multipurpose Patrol Vessels (PPA).
Very similar classes and categories within NATO require further
adjustments: dredging the seabed by at least 12 meters, implementing the
dock arrangements in line with the provisions of the NATO Directive
"Criteria and Standards for Maritime Facilities" BI-SC 085-008 of
01.04.2020 - MC 0671_1 (Final) NU, in addition to reactivating the
diesel (F76) and aviation diesel (F44) refueling systems. To achieve the
new seabed (12 m), dredging is planned for an area of approximately
420,000 m2, which falls within the Site of Regional Interest (SIR) of
the well-known Pitelli landfill, without removing the sludge in front of
the Campo in Ferro landfill. Approximately 200,000 m3 of contaminated
sludge (with lead exceeding 330 mg/kg and mercury exceeding 4.5 mmg/kg)
will be sent to the landfill. The remaining 400,000 m3 would be used to
fill the new structures. The project also includes the complete
reactivation of two tanks (with a capacity of approximately 20,000 m3,
currently out of service) under the provincial road 530 of Portovenere,
known as Napoleonica, the only emergency escape route for the Panigaglia
regasification plant. The underground structure continues beneath the
town of Marola, up to the slopes of the hill. The timetable calls for
construction from 2025 to 2035. The area that was the subject of the
memorandum of understanding with DIFESA Servizi for the demilitarization
that never took place (adjacent to the civilian docks of S. Vito) will
be a logistics yard and temporary storage area for dredging sludge.
Why call them blue, when the only sustainable feature concerns the
photovoltaic shelters covering a parking lot, planned for the temporary
sludge storage area? A system that "would reduce the naval base's energy
needs." Unfortunately, with just 0.852 MW (2.6% of the requirement,
considering only the needs of the new docks, or 31.97 MW), the base's
energy will be drawn from the grid, excluding other forms of renewable
energy (wind, tides, wave motion, etc.).
Meanwhile, the employment rhetoric is being trumpeted to the four winds.
But what jobs will a few docks and wharves create? There is no guarantee
of structural employment benefits, and instead, the guarantee that the
currently occupied spaces will remain abandoned and polluted, at
taxpayers' expense. The overall program has an estimated cost of
EUR950.0 million, of which EUR755.9 million has been funded over 13
years, thanks to the 2017 budget law (Article 1, paragraph 140, EUR520.8
million) and the 2018 budget law (Article 1, paragraph 1072, EUR32.1
million) and thanks to the Development and Cohesion Funds
(Inter-Ministerial Development Agreement, EUR203.0 million). The program
has been further funded in 2024 for a total of EUR1.76 billion. Not a
single job will be created, because expanding the infrastructure will
not generate any stable employment opportunities. It will not clean up
the polluted areas, failing to provide for the remediation of hazardous
substances present in an area heavily contaminated by landfills and
abandoned sites, thus leaving an ecological and harmful explosion
unchecked. There is no sign of reorganization of the vast military
areas, many of which are abandoned and unused, turning the La Spezia
base into a logistical maze.
Furthermore, it should be emphasized that, in a global context of
ongoing war escalations, instead of proposing diplomatic and dialogue
scenarios, military infrastructure is being planned for greater
deployment in war theaters, in an increasingly heated global climate.
The local response is increased militarization. This is the case with
the expansion project of the Sea Terminal (POL NATO), the marine
infrastructure located on the eastern side of the Gulf of La Spezia.
This facility allows the docking of ships unloading fuel for the North
Italian Pipeline System, which supplies the air bases of Ghedi, Aviano,
and Forli, as well as interchange stations for refueling, for example,
the military airport of Pisa. This is another military dock in the gulf,
impacting its already compromised ecosystem. Nor should we forget the
National Underwater Center, which maintains a vast area between Ruffino
and Muggiano, another hub for private interests in the defense sector.
Or the activities of the Balipedio Cottrau, a stone's throw from
Portovenere, where orders and munitions are tested. And while we're at
it, let's also mention Varignano and the headquarters of the Navy's
special forces.
In this context, Basi Blu will be the tombstone for any possibility of
redevelopment of the La Spezia area. A waste of public money to bring
NATO standards into line with the expected standards, which will create
no jobs or structural employment impact, leaving the Arsenal abandoned
and preserving the current safety, environmental, and health concerns.
The pessimistic mind truly needs the optimism of will, because even when
all is or seems lost, we must calmly get back to work: inform, engage,
engage, and shake up politicians by holding them accountable. And-if you
wish-educate, organize, and agitate. There is much to be done. Create a
space for a participatory public debate that opposes the Blue Bases
project. Involve citizens, associations, and social partners in
developing a real plan to clean up military areas and monitor polluting
activities, for their reorganization and rationalization. Relaunch the
proposal to enhance, reclaim, and demilitarize abandoned areas, both
existing and forgotten cultural assets (such as the Church of San
Francesco Grande), to restore the city's history. And above all, return
disused spaces to the community, to rebuild a true and natural access to
the sea for a seaside city currently without a sea.
William Domenichini
https://umanitanova.org/no-basi-blu-golfo-militare-e-citta-senza-mare/
_________________________________________
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