Natural Gas Exploration before Borkum - Environmental associations are suing against the approval for power cables
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) and other environmental organizations have filed a lawsuit against a recently approved permit for a power cable that is intended to connect a planned gas exploration platform in the North Sea off the coast of Borkum. Environmentalists fear that the cable will damage valuable underwater habitats and irreparably destroy reef structures. Therefore, a lawsuit against the permit has been filed at the Administrative Court in Oldenburg, the organization announced. In addition, an urgent proceeding has been requested to protect the reefs.
A spokesperson for the Administrative Court confirmed the filing of the lawsuit in response to an inquiry. The parties involved have now been given the opportunity to take a position. "It is still not clear when the proceedings will be decided," the court spokesperson added.
Umwelthilfe: "Catastrophic wrong decision"
The Niedersachsen Water Management, Coastal and Nature Protection Agency (NLWKN) had originally granted the permit for the cable in 2022. The Dutch energy company One-Dyas plans to use the cable to supply a platform for its planned gas exploration at the end of this year with wind energy from the neighboring offshore wind farm Riffgat. The Environmental Aid filed an objection to the permit shortly thereafter. This had a suspensive effect. Last Friday, the Landesbetrieb reacted to this and confirmed the permit in a revised version.
The head of Energy and Climate Protection at the Environmental Aid, Constantin Zerger, said in a statement on the lawsuit, "It's high time to stop starting new gas drillings in the North Sea. We don't need any additional gas to cover the energy supply. With our urgent application, we are urging the state government to reverse this catastrophic wrong decision and prevent gas drilling off Borkum." The permit proceedings for the gas drillings themselves are still ongoing on the German side.
The Environmental Aid's lawsuit is also reportedly supported by the BUND Niedersachsen and the Citizens' Initiative "Clean Air East Frisia".
- The raw material intended to be extracted from the North Sea off Borkum is Natural Gas, which will be supplied to a platform through the contested power cable.
- The Administrative Court in Oldenburg is currently handling the lawsuit filed by German Environmental Aid (DUH) against the permit for the power cable.
- German Environmental Aid e.V. and other environmental organizations fear the power cable may damage underwater habitats and irreparably destroy reef structures.
- The Dutch energy company One-Dyas plans to use the power cable to supply wind energy from the Riffgat offshore wind farm to its gas exploration platform.
- The Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal and Nature Protection Agency (NLWKN) originally granted the permit for the power cable in 2022, but DUH filed an objection shortly afterward.
- The permit for the power cable was revised and confirmed by the Landesbetrieb last Friday, despite the objection by DUH, which had a suspensive effect on the original permit.
- The Environmental Protection Association in Hanover, BUND Niedersachsen, and the Citizens' Initiative "Clean Air East Frisia" are reportedly supporting DUH's lawsuit against the power cable permit.
- If the Administrative Court decides in favor of DUH, it could potentially halt the power cable project, thus preventing natural gas extraction and potentially damaging underwater habitats off the coast of Borkum.
