The regional environment ministry has written to the Costas Authority, urging it not to use sand from quarries to regenerate beaches in Felanitx that were affected by Storm Gloria in January.
The ministry is opposed to the request for this sand that was made by Felanitx town hall. The mayor, Jaume Monserrat, says that this is a solution that the Costas have previously authorised and that it is "technically feasible". The town hall made the request after the environment ministry had refused to allow the extraction of sand from the sea to regenerate the beaches of Cala Marçal, Cala Sa Nau, S'Arenal and Cala Serena.
The ministry doesn't have the powers to decide how the regeneration should be done; this is a matter for the Costas. Nevertheless, the ministry considers that the use of quarry sand would "represent an unwarranted attack on the natural environment and contribute to extra sediment that can affect posidonia sea grass meadows".
Previous use of quarry sand, the ministry insists, has demonstrated "the uselessness of this measure", as shortly after being applied, beaches have been in the same situation that they were before regeneration. There is, therefore, an "unjustified expense".