This is what political scientist at the University of Stavanger Svein Tuastad thinks – This is a case with a lot of potential that can give much-needed energy to the county council elections. The high electricity prices and the need for more renewable power have caused several parties to change their policy and open up to developing protected waterways to get more power. – It is a bit like the wolf debate. It quickly becomes emotional. The closer people are to the waterways, the more temperature and commitment there will be. Austrumsdalsåna in Bjerkreim flows out of the protected Austrumsdalsvatnet. The lake is one of two waterways that can be developed to get more power production. Photo: Sissel Grøtteland Vikeså Low voter turnout In 2019, 64 per cent voted in the county council election. It was considered a good year, because four years earlier 60 percent voted. The same thing happened in 2011. This means that four out of ten do not vote in county council elections. – The problem is that the county politicians have limited power. Many voters do not know what the county council is up to. Then the county council election disappears from people’s attention, says research leader at the Institute for Social Research Johannes Bergh. Research leader at the Institute for Social Research Johannes Bergh. Photo: Martha Linnea Pukallus / news He and political commentator in Stavanger Trond Birkedal agree with Tuastad that protected waterways can raise the temperature in the county council elections. – Electricity prices and energy production are currently engaging. The most important reason why people take part in elections is that they want to influence politics, says Bergh. – The issue of the development of protected waterways is a welcome contribution in the election campaign for the county politicians. None of the other things they are doing particularly engages the voters, says political commentator Trond Birkedal in Stavanger. Månafossen in Gjesdal is one of the protected waterways in Rogaland. It is a major tourist attraction that no politician wants to use for power generation. Photo: Mathias Oppedal / news Yes, no and yes In Norway there are around 390 protected waterways. In total, Norway has around 4,000 watercourses. In some counties, almost all major waterways have been developed. This applies to Rogaland, among others. 90 per cent has been developed, and the county has 16 protected waterways. Now the politicians are opening up to building out two of these. – If we are to produce more power faster, it will require intervention. That’s just the way it is, says county mayoral candidate for Rogaland Sp, Hanne Marte Vatneland. Protect waterways that can still be developed Åbødalselva in Sauda, Rogaland Austrumsdalsvatnet in Bjerkreim, Rogaland Opo in Ullensvang, Vestland Vossavassdraget, Vestland Granvinsvassdraget, Vestland Eikedalsvassdraget, Vestland Flåmsvassdraget. Vestland Strynevassdraget, Vestland Gjengedalsvassdraget, Vestland Løkjelsvassdraget in Etne, Vestland Verdalsvassdraget, Trøndelag Vefsnavassdraget, Nordland Here are the watercourses that can still be developed. Click to zoom in map. Recently, the county annual meeting of Rogaland Sp agreed to expand Austrumsdalsvatnet in Bjerkreim and Åbødalselva in Sauda. Both protected waterways. FRP also says yes. Rødt, KrF and Folkets party FNB have not taken a position on it, while for SV, MDG and Venstre in Rogaland it is completely out of the question to say yes to development. – Enough is enough. We must have the protected waterways as they are, says group leader for SV in Rogaland County Council Heidi Bjerga. Opening up for debate In Rogaland Høyre too, they say no to developing protected watercourses in their own county, even though Høyre has nationally agreed to develop 10 watercourses in other counties. County mayor candidate for Rogaland Conservative Ole Ueland. Photo: Åse Karin Hansen / news – We are a bit more restrictive in the county party, county mayoral candidate Ole Ueland replies. In the Labor Party, the energy committee has recently presented its report. There, the majority is in favor of development. The same is done by Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland. In March, Rogaland Ap will say what they think at their annual county meeting. County mayoral candidate Frode Berge is slipping. – I have long been one of those who are restrictive. But now I am open to having a debate and seeing if there are any protected waterways that can be expanded. The county politicians in Rogaland recently gathered at the county council. There they discussed issues about upper secondary schools and transport, among other things. Photo: Åse Karin Hansen / news A gift package for the politicians – For the interest in the election, the matter is a gift package. For the county politicians who feel they are sitting with a hot potato in their hands, it is probably not a gift package. Like, for example, the Labor Party, says Tuastad. Political scientist at the University of Stavanger, Svein Tuastad. Photo: Mathias Oppedal / news Vestland is the county with the largest power production. But Agder, Nordland, Telemark, Viken and Rogaland are also big power counties. – It is a matter that can be quite similar in other counties as well, not least Vestland. It is connected to the national debate. Nationally, the parties must say how they want to secure energy needs, and then they must show that they are credible locally as well. The county council election is on the same day as the municipal election. It could have helped the turnout and had it on the same day as the general election, says Bergh. – It would have been an artificial way to increase participation. What is needed is commitment and interest. It may well be that the parties could do more to highlight their county politicians to make them more visible.
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Protecting waterways can increase voter turnout at the county council election – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
