The neighborhood opposition to the large-scale biogas plants in the area around Villardondiego and the Alfoz de Toro The protests have escalated with a massive demonstration in the town's main square. Dozens of banners, slogans, and written statements have given voice to the discontent of a region that fears losing its quality of life and development opportunities if these industrial projects go ahead.
Behind the mobilization is the Stop Biogas platform Villardondiego-Pozoantiguo, recently renamed the association "Defending Emptiness". Its members claim they are not opposed to renewable energy in general, but rather to a model of large-scale biomethane facilities which, in his opinion, exceeds the capacity of the territory and generates impacts that are not being clearly explained to the population.
A massive gathering in the Plaza Mayor of Villardondiego
Last Sunday, the The main square of Villardondiego was filled with more than two hundred peopleAnd some sources even put the number at over three hundred attendees. Residents of Villardondiego, Pozoantiguo, Toro, Morales de Toro, Villavendimio, Villalonso, Matilla la Seca, Tiedra, and other towns in the Alfoz region responded to the association's call.
The meeting was held in the same municipality where the project is planned. a biomethane macro-plant with the initial approval of their City Council. According to the platform, they have requested a meeting with the mayor, Sergio del Teso Pérez, on several occasions, but they claim that They have not received a response.This has increased the feeling of a lack of dialogue.
During the gathering, a detailed manifesto against the planned plant in Villardondiego and against other similar projects in the region, such as the one in Toro or the one being studied in Morales de Toro. Furthermore, more than two hundred and fifty objections were collected and addressed to the regional government requesting that these facilities not be authorized.
Also present at the event were institutional representatives and representatives of citizen groupsCouncilors from the Toro City Council, members of the Villavendimio governing team, and members of platforms such as "Zamora en Pie" were present. Their presence was interpreted as political and social support for the local residents' demands, similar to the large protest in Colmenar Viejo.
The Villardondiego project: dimensions and main doubts
One of the points that generates the most concern is the scale of the biomethane plant proposed in VillardondiegoAccording to documents released by the association, the project plans to process approximately 200.000 tons of waste annually from various sources, of which about 92.000 tons would be slurry and around 45.000 tons would be cattle manure, in addition to other waste considered more problematic.
For the Stop Biogas Villardondiego-Pozoantiguo platform, these amounts They do not fit with a circular and local economy modelsince the area does not naturally generate such a high volume of organic matter. In his opinion, the facility would create a "pull factor" that would encourage the expansion of large industrial livestock farms with the aim of producing more manure and slurry to feed the macro-plant, which has already generated protests in Lorca.
Another aspect highlighted by the opposition is the proximity of the plant to population centersThe complex would be located less than three kilometers from Villardondiego and a short distance from Pozoantiguo, with Toro less than five kilometers away. There are fears that the prevailing winds, usually from west to east, will carry odors and potential pollutants to municipalities such as Villalonso, Matilla la Seca, Tiedra, Morales de Toro, Villavendimio, and Toro itself.
The association also points out that the company promoting the project, Biorig Energy Villardondiego – Zamora, SLIt has a share capital of 3.000 euros, which for the residents does not offer sufficient guarantees when facing hypothetical environmental damage, leaks or infrastructure repairs in case of an incident or future closure of the plant.
The focus has also been placed on the truck traffic required to supply the facilityThe project would involve the circulation of approximately 65 heavy vehicles daily for 16 hours a day, every weekday of the year. According to opponents, this traffic would significantly impact local roads, especially the ZA-713 between Toro and Castronuevo, a road heavily used by residents, resulting in increased noise, odors, and a risk of damage to rural roads.
Environmental risks: water, air and agricultural soils
The manifesto read at the rally places special emphasis on the risks to water and agricultural soilThe land where the plant is to be located borders the Adalia stream, a waterway that, according to the association, could be compromised by the invasion of its easement and police zones, of five and one hundred meters respectively on both sides of the stream.
The organizers point out that There is no record of explicit authorization from the Duero River Basin Authority Regarding this issue, they warn that the Adalia stream floods relatively easily, a situation that could be exacerbated by extreme weather events. They fear that a flash flood could directly reach the facilities, carrying leachate or other compounds to the surrounding land, the stream's floodplain, and even the nearby Duero River.
These factors are in addition to the management of the huge quantities of digestate and sludge generated in the processa matter that has been called into question health and neighborhood groupsResidents fear that the dumping of these byproducts on agricultural land will have irreversible consequences for soil fertility and groundwater, especially in an area already considered vulnerable to nitrate pollution from intensive agriculture and livestock farming.
Regarding air quality, the platform insists that The emissions and odors could seriously affect the environmentThis is not only in the immediate vicinity of the plant but also across a wide area of ​​surrounding municipalities, due to the prevailing winds. There are concerns about potential ongoing nuisances from odors, airborne particles, and noise associated with both industrial activity and the daily traffic of heavy trucks.
Critical groups argue that, although the project incorporates references to environmental controls and measures, A robust precautionary principle is not expressly guaranteed that takes into account the inherent risks of biomethane production. They demand that monitoring, inspection, and safety systems be strengthened before granting any final permit.
Social, economic and demographic impact on the region
Beyond the environmental issue, Stop Biogas Villardondiego-Pozoantiguo and the association "Defending the Empty" warn of a profound impact on daily life and the local economyIn their manifesto they emphasize that the plant would barely create two or three direct jobs, while it could jeopardize dozens of jobs linked to agricultural, wine-growing and green economy projects in the area.
Those attending the rally insisted that the devaluation of homes, farms and agricultural holdings The effect would be almost immediate if the large-scale plant were to be built. In an area where wine and other crops are key to the region's identity and economic fabric, there are fears that the image of a territory associated with persistent odors, potential emissions, and constant truck traffic would discourage new investments and long-term development projects.
The association also emphasized the aging population in Villardondiego and the rest of the Alfoz de Toro. They denounce that the project does not include specific measures to protect the elderly, who make up the majority of the population, from the risks of noise, odors and air pollutants, which are especially problematic for those suffering from chronic illnesses.
In terms of demographics, the spokespeople for the mobilization maintain that wherever they have settled similar large-scale biogas plants A loss of inhabitants has been detected, either due to a reluctance to live alongside these infrastructures or because of the decline in opportunities in traditional sectors. There are fears that this trend could exacerbate depopulation in a region already affected by the departure of young people and families.
Overall, the opposition summarizes the situation as a risk to the future of the territoryThey believe that the development of a rural model based on the quality of products, the landscape and tranquility is being compromised in exchange for a project that, in their view, offers few guarantees of social return.
Transparency, participation and the European context of biogas
One of the recurring messages during the rally was the complaint about the lack of institutional transparencyThe platform criticizes the fact that projects are being processed with difficulties in accessing complete documentation, especially through online portals. They point out that many public files cannot be easily downloaded, effectively excluding those with a digital divide, particularly the elderly.
At this point, the administrations were asked to provide information in a clear and accessible mannerThe association is requesting that the proposals be submitted in both digital and paper formats, and that the deadlines and channels for submitting objections be extended. According to the association, residents feel excluded from participating in decisions that directly affect their future, as they believe they lack all the necessary information to assess the scope of these projects.
The Stop Biogas Villardondiego-Pozoantiguo movement also frames its protest within a European context of strong expansion of biogas plantsThey cite forecasts according to which, between now and 2050, more than two thousand large-scale plants could be installed in Spain, which represents an average of more than fifty per province, reflecting the Biogas boom in Spain.
The association emphasizes that this is not an isolated rejection, but a shared concern in numerous territories in Spain and Europe where the limits of intensive livestock farming, waste management, and the role of biogas in the energy transition are debated. They advocate for the need to consider smaller-scale alternatives, more closely linked to the local area and with integration agreed upon with the population.
At the same time, they demand that environmental impact assessments do not do it in a fragmented wayIn the case of the Toro project, for example, the association argues that it should be analyzed jointly with the planned plant in Villardondiego and with other similar initiatives, in order to take into account the cumulative effects on the quality of the air, water, soils and the landscape of the entire Alfoz.
Citizen coordination and next steps of the Stop Biogas movement
During the event in Villardondiego, the association's spokespeople encouraged attendees to maintain mobilization over timeAmong the proposed actions are continuing to inform residents door-to-door, placing banners on balconies and facades, and attending future rallies already being prepared in Toro, in the city of Zamora and in other places where necessary.
The association "Defending Emptiness" invited citizens to collaborate to the best of their abilityThis support can be demonstrated through contributions to fund informational materials, the purchase of banners, or active participation in meetings and assemblies. They emphasized that broad social support is key for the authorities to understand the extent of the opposition to large-scale biogas plants in the region.
One of the tools being used is the mass collection of signatures and allegationsAt the Villardondiego rally, hundreds of documents were already submitted against the planned plant in Toro to the Ministry of the Environment of the Junta de Castilla y León, and the intention is to continue increasing this number with new campaigns in surrounding towns.
The spokespeople stressed the need to to coordinate a joint response among neighboring townsThe message "Here we are all one" was repeated several times, emphasizing that Toro supported Villardondiego's demands at the time and now Villardondiego wants to support Toro and the other towns affected by the various biogas projects planned for the Alfoz.
For many of those present, what is at stake goes beyond the rejection of a specific installation: It is about defining the development model for the region in the coming decades. In that debate, the association calls for citizens to play a central role in deciding which types of projects are welcome and which do not fit with the social, economic, and environmental reality of the territory.
With the Plaza Mayor of Villardondiego as the backdrop and the slogan "Villardondiego and Alfoz de Toro free of mega-plants" very much in mind, the mobilization against the biogas project has highlighted the clash between the expansion plans for these infrastructures and the expectations of the inhabitants of the regionWhile the authorities study the environmental permits and the promoting companies defend the virtues of biomethane, the residents organized in Stop Biogas Villardondiego-Pozoantiguo and "Defending the Empty" have made it clear that they will continue to resort to appeals, banners and demonstrations to demand that their territory and their way of life be taken into account in any future decision.
