The controversial gas extraction project above Schiermonnikoog has received a green light to proceed after the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate amended the environmental permit. The permit was initially invalidated due to concerns about insufficient evidence regarding the impact of increased nitrogen emissions on nature reserves and inadequate measures to mitigate noise pollution affecting marine life.
However, the company responsible for the project, ONE-Dyas, has provided additional information to address these issues, leading the ministry to conclude that "there are no longer any concerns" about species and area protection. This decision allows ONE-Dyas to start building the drilling platform as early as tomorrow.
Environmental groups, such as Mobilization for the Environment (MOB), who previously opposed the project, plan to appeal the decision to the Council of State, the highest administrative court in the Netherlands. They intend to carefully review the documents released by the ministry to understand the basis for the permit amendment.
While the judge's previous ruling had permitted gas drilling itself, the appeal by MOB aims to challenge the entire project, including the drilling operations.
