Environment Committee / Local Agenda 21

General presentations

• 0711047 – Budget 2008

  Bjarki Jóhannesson, Head of the Planning and Building Department, attends the meeting and presents the 2008 budget for the Planning and Building Department. The Planning and Building Committee referred the plan for presentation to UHN/Sd 21 at its meeting on 19 November 2007.

  The committee thanks Bjarki for the presentation. The committee requests to have the same budget available in 2008 as it had in 2007, and for it to be on a separate accounting code. The committee also requests that funds of kr. 300,000 be allocated for an ideas competition on the use of Óla Runs field, as per the minutes of the committee's 110th meeting.

• 0711104 – Horse-riding trail from Gráhelluhraun to Kjóadal

  The Project Manager of Sd 21 presents the matter. The Executive Committee referred the matter to UHN/Sd 21 for comment at its meeting on 18 November 2007.

  UHN/Sd 21 welcomes the implementation but requests that the comments of the Forestry Society be taken into account. The committee requests that, when the road is laid out in accordance with the master plan, consideration be given to the construction of underpasses for pedestrians and horse riders.

• 0710166 – The Green Steps

  Challenges that have been issued regarding improved management of the boat shed at Hvaleyrarlón, the stables in Hlíðarþúfur, and the landscaping of plots in the Ásland district were presented.

  The committee welcomes the challenges that have been issued and aims to beautify the town and improve its appearance. The committee supports these matters being pursued vigorously.

• 0711108 – Cooperation on land reclamation in 2008

  A letter from the State Soil Conservation Service regarding the continuation of cooperation on land reclamation in the Krýsuvík area was presented.

  The committee recommends that the collaboration be continued.

• 0710231 – Ástjörn, bird counts

  Report on the bird counts at Astjörn and Hvaleyrarvatn was taken up again. The matter was previously on the agenda at the meeting on 24 October 2007.

  The committee thanks you for the excellent report and encourages further research in the area.

• 0711174 – Heavy metals and sulphur in mosses around the aluminium smelter in Straumsvik in 2005.

  A new report by the Icelandic National Museum of Natural History on heavy metals and sulphur in moss at the Straumsvík aluminium smelter has been presented for review.

  Presented. The committee postpones its decision on the matter and refers the request to the Executive Board and the Planning and Building Board for information.

• Birdwatching hide at Ástjörn

  Discussion on the construction of birdwatching huts at Ástjörn in 2008. The matter is taken on the agenda by way of an exception.

  The committee refers the proposal to build birdwatching huts at Ástjörn to the Executive Board for inclusion in the 2008 budget.