Saeima adopts rules allowing wind farm projects to be rejected
Latvia's parliament has passed final amendments to the environmental impact assessment law, allowing wind farms to be rejected in municipalities that already host at least 150 MW of wind capacity if significant negative cumulative impact is found. The changes take effect on 1 January 2027.
The Saeima, Latvia's parliament, on Thursday adopted in the final reading amendments to the law "On Environmental Impact Assessment" (EIA). They allow wind farm projects to be rejected in municipalities where wind power stations already in operation or holding building permits total at least 150 megawatts (MW), and where it is established that a new project will or may have a significant negative cumulative effect on the environment, landscape or residents' quality of life. The amendments take effect on 1 January 2027.
Distance from settlements
Lawmakers backed a proposal from the Ministry of Climate and Energy that lets a municipality set a minimum distance of up to 2,000 metres between the boundary of a town or village and the nearest planned wind turbine or wind farm. The limit must be justified by the further development of that town or village under the municipality's sustainable development strategy. The parliamentary committee had earlier not supported this proposal.
Preliminary assessment
The conditions for applying a preliminary impact assessment to wind projects with total capacity of at least 35 MW were also changed. The procedure will apply to projects planned in a rural parish whose average population density, according to the latest Central Statistical Bureau data, is below the Latvian average. Existing restrictions for sensitive and protected areas remain.
Transitional rules
For projects approved by 31 December 2026, the decision remains valid until 31 December 2033, and the competent authority may extend it to 31 December 2040.
For projects where a decision to apply an EIA was made by 1 July 2026 but no approval or rejection has been issued, the competent authority will decide by 31 December 2029, after receiving the municipality's opinion on conformity with its territorial plan. Even with a positive opinion, the project will be rejected if the municipality already has wind stations of at least 150 MW in total and significant negative cumulative impact is found.
Property owners near a project will be informed within two kilometres of the outer boundary of the survey area.
Background
The amendments have been considered in the Saeima since 2025, and the committee spent over a year preparing them for second reading, which parliament approved on 3 September this year. The main disagreement concerned municipalities' rights to reject wind farms. The ministry says the aim is to improve the EIA rules, reduce administrative burden, strengthen investors' legal certainty and optimise public information.
