WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1156/96 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Destruction of the Meuse-Schwalm-Nette cross- border natural park by the Garzweiler II open-cast lignite mine
Date: 1996-05-03
Institutions: BREYER, European Parliament
Subjects: Germany, environmental monitoring, environmental protection, groundwater, impact study, mining operation, nature reserve, protection of animal life













EUR-Lex - 91996E1156 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1156

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1156/96 by Hiltrud BREYER to the Commission. Destruction of the Meuse-Schwalm-Nette cross- border natural park by the Garzweiler II open-cast lignite mine  


Official Journal C 305 , 15/10/1996 P. 0055 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-1156/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (3 May 1996)Subject: Destruction of the Meuse-Schwalm-Nette cross-border natural park by the Garzweiler II open-cast lignite mine1. Is the Commission aware that the Garzweiler II project would cause irreparable damage to the Meuse-Schwalm-Nette natural park, since extracting lignite would lower the water table? How does the Commission assess this risk?2. Does the Commission also take the view that the Garzweiler II project must be halted if infiltration alters the groundwater level, since in that event the conditions for approval would not be met?3. Can the Commission guarantee that the procedure used by the Rheinbraun AG mining company will preserve the groundwater level?4. Does the Commission share the concerns of conservation organizations that the procedure used is totally inadequate from the point of view of protecting the natural park?5. What measures are available to the Commission and what measures is it planning to take in response to the impending destruction of the natural park?Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (10 June 1996)The possibility of deterioration of two protection areas designated under Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds ((OJ L 103, 25.4.1979. )) (Krickenbecher Seen, Germany, and Meynweg, Netherlands) within the Meuse-Schwalm-Nette natural park has already been the subject of a complaint to the Commission. In this context, the German authorities informed the Commission that comprehensive examinations and calculations had been carried out in order to clarify the impact of the planned open-cast mining on the groundwater in those areas. Based on the results, it had been decided to carry out measures for the recharge of groundwater in order to avoid a lowering of the groundwater level and negative ecological impact.In addition, the German authorities indicated that a monitoring programme would accompany the project in order to assess its long-term impact on the fauna and flora in the adjoining zones. Should there be evidence that the project has a considerable negative impact on the areas in question, the existing legislation of North Rhine-Westphalia would enable additional protection measures to be taken or for the authorization of the project to be reviewed or even cancelled.As it had not been established that there was an infringement of Directive 79/409/EEC, the Commission decided in October 1995 to close the complaint file. However, this does not preclude further action by the Commission should new facts be brought to its attention which would justify taking up the case again.