Temporary authorization granted for gas extraction power cables in Borkum region - Gas production facility on Borkum temporarily equipped with power cable for electricity
Controversial Gas Extraction Project Near Borkum Continues Amidst Legal Disputes
The ongoing gas extraction project near the North Sea island of Borkum, known as the Gateway to the Ems (GEMS), has been met with significant opposition due to conflicts between industrial use and marine protection. The project, particularly involving power cable disputes, reef protection, and exemptions to nature conservation laws in Lower Saxony, has sparked concern among environmental groups, local municipalities, and civil society organizations.
In July, the German Environmental Aid (DUH) was successful in securing a provisional halt on certain exemptions from nature conservation law, in a case heard before the Administrative Court in Oldenburg. The dispute now rests with the OVG in Lüneburg, where a complaint against these exemptions is currently pending.
The power cable in question is intended to supply electricity from the nearby Riffgat wind farm. However, its proposed route runs through a protected area where endangered stone reef formations are located, raising concerns about potential impacts on marine biodiversity.
One-Dyas, the company behind the GEMS project, has welcomed the confirmation of a valid permit for the cable laying by the OVG in Lüneburg, but is awaiting the decision in the second procedure regarding the exemptions from nature conservation law. Only if the court also confirms the exemptions in this procedure, the project could be implemented.
The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment has emphasized that the cable may only be laid if a corresponding court ruling is also issued in the still ongoing procedure on the exemptions from nature conservation law. The decision on the water law permit is just one aspect that the ministry will carefully examine.
Despite the Higher Administrative Court in Lüneburg, Lower Saxony, rejecting a complaint by the DUH to temporarily halt the water law permit for the power cable, the laying of the cable remains prohibited for the time being. The permit was supplemented with additional compensation requirements in the spring, as part of efforts to address environmental concerns.
The German Environmental Aid e.V. continues to focus on the ongoing procedure to protect the rare reef formations at the heart of the dispute. As the legal battle continues, the future of the GEMS project remains uncertain, highlighting the ongoing tension between industrial development and marine conservation.
[1] Environmental concerns and opposition to the GEMS project, Source [4] Legal and regulatory conflicts in offshore energy projects, Source
- The controversy surrounding the GEMS project underscores the need for community aid to address environmental-science concerns, particularly in the realm of research and development for alternative energy solutions that minimize harm to marine life.
- As the dispute over exemptions for research and development in the GEMS project evolves, it becomes increasingly vital for the industry to collaborate with finance sectors to foster sustainable practices and invest in environmental-science research for marine protection.
- Amidst ongoing legal disputes, the German environmental movement, industry leaders, and academic researchers must unite in a collaborative effort to support research and development in the field of environmental-science to establish best practices and inform policy decisions that prioritize marine conservation while promoting economic growth.
