EPA Gifts Liepāja a Piece of Lake, But Retains Rights to Criticize How We Use It

Liepāja municipality has received a Christmas gift in late October – the Environmental Protection Administration has gifted 494 hectares of lake territory for free use for ten years. It's almost like getting the keys to grandma's house, only with the condition that you can't change anything and still have to listen to advice.

EPA Director General Laura Anteina explains that modern natural resource management means the ability to combine competencies. Simply put – we give you the work, but we'll still control how you do it. While Riga is still arguing about who's responsible for the Daugava riverbanks, Liepāja has already gained official rights to care for its own lake.

Mayor Gunārs Ansiņš admits that until now, every activity on Horse Island required drafting agreements more often than Karosta once changed commanders. Now everything will be simpler – we can immediately plan walking trails, lighting, and even a roller skating rink without worrying that someone will suddenly come and say we don't have the right.

The contract also provides for reed cutting and aquatic plant control, which means the lake won't overgrow like Karosta's basements with legends. Local pensioner Jānis Bērziņš comments: "Finally someone will care for the lake systematically. Before, when you wanted to do something, you needed at least three permits and two months of waiting." Now there will be only two permits and a month of waiting – progress is obvious.

The most interesting thing is that the state will still "strictly monitor the preservation of natural values." It's like giving a child a toy but saying they can't play with it too loudly. But we Liepāja residents are used to wind and control – so we'll handle the lake just as well as any other force of nature.