Green light for the environmental impact of the Tortosa biomethane plant

The Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition has issued a favorable strategic environmental statement for the Special Urban Plan (PEU) intended to regulate the implementation of a biomethane plant in polygon 32, plot 1, of Tortosa. The decision is contained in Resolution TER/2969/2026, dated June 9, published in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat de Catalunya (DOGC) number 9735, dated August 21, 2026, with reference CVE-DOGC-A-26226038-2026.

The project, promoted by SPV BIOSALAS, SL and processed by the Territorial Urban Planning Service of Terres de l’Ebre, plans to treat 127,000 annual tons of organic waste and livestock manure to obtain biomethane injectable into the natural gas network, as well as fertilizers. The statement is favorable with conditions and is framed within the Catalan Biogas Strategy 2024-2030, which promotes the recovery of organic waste and livestock manure as the axis of a new integrated management model.

A waste and slurry treatment plant

The facility, located on non-urbanizable land near the Catalunya Sud industrial estate, will occupy 58,711 m² of a 85,101 m² plot, and an additional area of 4,977 m² will be classified as a road system. The project includes the adaptation of the Ranxero road and the undergrounding of gas, electricity, water, and communication services.

The waste to be treated is broken down into four lines:

• Bio-waste (organic fraction of selective collection, FORS): 4,500 t/year.
• SANDACH (animal by-products not intended for human consumption, slaughterhouse and egg waste): 6,250 t/year.
• Pumpable substrates (slurry and oil-sludges): 37,500 t/year.
• Non-pumpable substrates (poultry litter and waste unsuitable for consumption): 78,750 t/year.

The maximum treatment capacity for solid digestate through composting will be 59,141 t/year. The final products obtained will be renewable gas injectable into the network, the solid fraction of dried digestate, liquid fertilizers, and water.

A site chosen among five alternatives

The strategic environmental study (EAE) analyzed several locations and discarded alternatives 2, 3, 4a, and 4b for failing to meet infrastructure requirements, distances to livestock farms, or flood risk. Installing the plant in the future expansion of the Catalunya Sud estate was also discarded as it did not align with the project deadlines or the Catalan Biogas Strategy. The chosen alternative is justified by its proximity to livestock farms in Baix Ebre and Montsià, good accessibility for heavy traffic, and the fact that it is not located within protected natural spaces.

The area is not included in any Natura 2000 network space, but it is located within a vital area of the Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata), an endangered species. The Fauna and Flora Service reported positively on the implementation after assessing a pilot monitoring test of the breeding pair, which concluded that the plot is not utilized by the eagles.

Constraints and public information process

The strategic environmental statement is favorable with constraints, among which stand out the assessment of the effect of odor pollution in the integrated environmental authorization, with a mandatory report from the Tortosa City Council; the use of native plant species and the avoidance of invasive ones; and compliance with the considerations of the competent urban planning body. During the public information process, allegations were received from the L’Aldea City Council (with 343 signature sheets), the EMD of Campredó, ecological entities such as Ecologistes en Acció and GEPEC, and several companies from the Catalunya Sud industrial estate, which raised questions regarding odors, public health, mobility, and impacts on economic activities.

The resolution, signed by Marc Vilahur i Chiaraviglio, Director General of Environmental Policies and Natural Environment, expires if the Plan is not approved within a maximum term of two years from publication, in accordance with Article 27 of Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment.

Source: Official Gazette of the Generalitat de Catalunya, no. 9735, August 21, 2026, Announcements section (official reference: CVE-DOGC-A-26226038-2026).