German environmental group deems Rügen LNG terminal draft permit illegal
Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has declared the draft permit for the operation of the LNG terminal off Rügen as unlawful. The organization criticizes the lack of environmental reviews in the permitting process.
The German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has assessed the draft permit for the operation of the LNG terminal off Rügen as unlawful. According to the DUH, the State Office for Agriculture and Environment (STALU) failed to conduct necessary environmental impact assessments, incorrectly invoking the expedited procedure under the LNG Acceleration Act.
The DUH argues that the exemption from an environmental review, intended for emergency situations, is not applicable here as the natural gas supply is secured without the terminal. Furthermore, the organization has raised concerns about significant gaps in the safety concept of the operating company, Deutsche Regas. DUH's federal managing director, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, stated that the accelerated approval without environmental reviews is unnecessary and compromises the safety of Rügen's residents and its sensitive ecosystems.
The environmental group has also criticized the environmental damage already caused by the LNG project in the Baltic Sea, including disruptions to shipping lanes and impacts on protected species. DUH is appealing to politicians to halt the project and urges the federal government to suspend the LNG Acceleration Act and the gas emergency plan.
The permit draft concerns the operation of terminal ships in Mukran port and a water law permit. Deutsche Regas plans to initially bring one ship online, with a second to be relocated later. DUH has previously filed a lawsuit regarding the LNG connection pipeline, the outcome of which is pending. The placement of the terminal ships near nature reserves and a busy ferry terminal has also drawn criticism.