Naturgy submits its biomethanization plant in Villamuriel for public consultation

The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Environment and Environmental Policy of the Regional Government of Castilla y León has opened for public consultation the application for environmental authorization and the environmental impact study for a biomethanization plant promoted by Naturgy Nuevas Energías, S.L.U. in Villamuriel de Cerrato (Palencia). The announcement is published in the Official Gazette of Castilla y León (Boletín Oficial de Castilla y León) no. 193, dated October 5, 2026, within section I.E.2 of other official announcements, with reference BOCYL-D-05102026-193-40 and case file number 175-24-AAPA. Interested parties have a period of thirty business days to submit allegations.

The agreement is adopted under Article 16 of the revised text of the Law on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control, approved by Royal Legislative Decree 1/2016, of December 16; Article 36 of Law 21/2013, of December 9, on Environmental Assessment; and Articles 13 and 55 of the revised text of the Environmental Prevention Law of Castilla y León, approved by Legislative Decree 1/2015, of November 12. The file is open to both the general public and persons interested in the procedure.

The project and its location

The projected facility is officially named “Biomethanization Plant in Villamuriel de Cerrato (Palencia)” and its promoter is Naturgy Nuevas Energías, S.L.U. The planned location comprises the following plots within the Palencia municipal district:

• Plots 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 9021, 44, 45, and 46 of polygon 508 of Villamuriel de Cerrato.

The project falls under heading 5.4 of the Industrial Emissions and Development Regulations of Law 16/2002, of July 1, approved by Royal Decree 815/2013, of October 18: recovery, or a mixture of recovery and disposal, of non-hazardous waste with a capacity exceeding 75 tonnes per day involving one or more activities, including biological treatment. Facilities included in Royal Decree-Law 11/1995, of December 28, on urban wastewater treatment, are excluded.

Ordinary environmental assessment

Regarding environmental matters, the project is categorized under Article 7.1.d) of Law 21/2013 and is included in Annex II of said regulation, specifically in group 9.b)—waste disposal or recovery facilities not included in Annex I—and in group 4, energy industry, letter f), referring to industrial facilities for the transport of steam and hot water, oil pipelines and gas pipelines, and pipelines for the transport of carbon dioxide streams for geological storage purposes.

The announcement specifies that the project is subject to an ordinary environmental impact assessment at the request of the promoter. The publication of the announcement also serves to allow interested parties to participate in the procedure, in accordance with Article 37 of Law 21/2013 and Article 14 of the revised text approved by Royal Legislative Decree 1/2016.

Deadline, consultation, and submission of allegations

The period of thirty business days is calculated, according to Law 39/2015 of October 1 on the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations, from the day following the publication of the announcement in the Official Gazette of Castilla y León. The file may be examined Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the following offices:

• General Directorate of Environmental Policy, at 14 Rigoberto Cortejoso Street, Valladolid.
• Territorial Environmental Service of Palencia, at 27 Casado del Alisal Avenue.
• Website of the Junta de Castilla y León: https://jcyl.es/informacion-publica-ambiental.

Allegations and observations shall be addressed to the General Directorate of Environmental Policy and may be submitted using the form available on the electronic office of the Junta, indicating the file number 175-24-AAPA as a mandatory field. The announcement was signed in Valladolid on August 26, 2026, by the Director General of Environmental Policy, José Guirao Sola.

The opening of this process allows residents, environmental groups, and other administrations to voice their opinions on a waste treatment facility with a capacity exceeding 75 tons per day, whose design, emissions, and location are now under public scrutiny before the Department resolves the environmental authorization.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla y León, no. 193, of October 5, 2026, section I.E.2 (Other Official Announcements), pp. 294-295 (official reference: BOCYL-D-05102026-193-40).