Biofuel projects face local resistance

In the industrial basin of Lacq, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region, two biofuel production projects have sparked growing opposition among the local population and elected officials. After an historic summer heatwave, forest fires, and an autumn marked by risks of water shortages, residents are denouncing a "plundering of resources" in wood and water.

Projects rely on wood and state support

The first of these projects aims to produce bioethanol, while the second focuses on biofuels for aviation. In both cases, wood constitutes the majority of the raw material. These two projects benefit from state support. On June 9, 2026, the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques authorized the NACRE project. Less than a month later, on July 6, the E-CHO project was declared of "major national interest."

Local leaders and citizens protest

More than 1,000 people gathered on Saturday, October 10, in front of the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in Pau, at the call of the Forêts Vivantes Pyrénées collective, which brings together 78 organizations. The objective was to address the state and defend the territory's resources, especially water, against the NACRE and E-CHO projects.

Widespread local opposition

To date, 202 communes, or 37 percent of those in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, have already passed motions against these projects. "Others are considering it," Louis Benoit-Gracia assured, noting an increase in opposition in the Béarn region. In the Basque region, opposition was strong from the announcement of the E-CHO project. The Communauté d'Agglomération Pays Basque (CAPB) officially opposed it, adopting on March 29, 2025, a motion "against the harvesting of biomass from the Basque forest."

Environmental and water concerns

The concerns of the elected officials include the volumes of water extracted, the discharge of water into the Gave at a higher temperature than when it entered the plant, and the overall impact of the project on the environment, especially during periods of low water flow. "The elected officials of the Pays Basque are opposed to the plundering of the wood resource, which is important for the economy and the identity of the Pays Basque," explains Jacques Descargues, former general secretary of the Office national des forêts (ONF) and member of Forêts Vivantes Pyrénées and the CADE.

Economic versus environmental trade-offs

"We Béarnais took a bit more time," Louis Benoit-Gracia confirms, "but it is changing. Politically, we looked at each other a bit: there was a projection of 200 direct jobs created by the E-CHO project. But at what price should we create jobs? Meanwhile, in the Haut-Béarn, we have a hospital closing beds and job cuts in schools."

Water usage and climate risks

These two industrial projects would exert significant pressure on the territory's forest resources, but also on its water resources, already weakened by droughts. "The E-CHO project is counter to the climate episode we are experiencing," Louis Benoit-Gracia notes. "We have experienced an unprecedented drought since May, and we are coming to tap into our forest and water resources!" These projects would indeed mobilize large volumes of water: approximately 400,000 cubic meters per year for NACRE and an average of 2.2 million cubic meters per year for E-CHO, according to the most recent estimates from Elyse Energy, the company behind the project, with a maximum of 3.1 million cubic meters announced.

Forest ecosystems and water regulation

Beyond direct water withdrawals, these projects are also criticized for their effects on forest ecosystems, which play an essential role in the regulation of water resources. "Forests have a regulatory role in the water cycle," Jacques Descargues recalls. "Through their evapotranspiration and because they allow water to infiltrate the soil." When questioned by La Relève and La Peste in February 2025, the PME Elyse-Energy confirmed that 14,000 hectares of forests would need to be cut in the first five years to supply the plants.