Pipeline for LNG terminal Mukran: Court dismisses lawsuits | NDR.de – News

Green light from the court: The approximately 50 kilometer long gas pipeline, which is intended to connect the LNG terminal in Mukran to the gas pipeline network in Lubmin east of Greifswald, can probably go into operation in mid-May as planned by the operator Deutsche ReGas. On Thursday, the Federal Administrative Court dismissed several lawsuits by the DUH and NABU against the operating license. Specifically, it was against the planning approval decision of the Stralsund Mining Authority for the construction and operation of the first seaside section of the LNG connection line between the port of Mukran and Lubmin.

Several points of criticism against the connection pipeline

The environmental associations wanted to go to the Federal Administrative Court to have the planning approval decision from last year repealed. If the judges had upheld the lawsuits, the 50 kilometer long pipeline between Lubmin and Mukran probably would not have been allowed to go into operation. In the main hearing a week ago, which lasted several hours, the plaintiffs raised two main points of criticism against the pipeline: Firstly, nature conservation issues in the sensitive Greifswalder Bodden ecosystem had not been sufficiently examined. On the other hand, there is no longer a gas shortage that, according to the Federal Government’s wishes, would justify the operation of an LNG terminal on Rügen.

Court: Gas shortage exists and justifies LNG project

The Federal Administrative Court sees it differently: According to it, the project is justified “in order to deal with the ongoing gas supply crisis as a result of the cessation of Russian gas deliveries and the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.” Therefore, it does not violate federal law. Critics have long argued that there is no longer a gas shortage, that the terminal in Mukran creates unneeded excess capacity and is damaging to the environment and nature. The federal government, however, defended it with reference to energy supply security. According to the Leipzig judges, the violations of environmental legislation alleged by the DUH and NABU do not exist either. The project is compatible with the legal requirements for plant safety as well as water and nature conservation law. Citing the LNG Acceleration Act, the Stralsund Mining Authority was also allowed to forego an environmental impact assessment.

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DUH is considering further legal steps

According to their own information, the DUH and NABU are now examining further legal action against the LNG terminal on Rügen, which they still describe as “unnecessary”. As the two environmental associations announced after the court hearing on Thursday, they next want to take action against the approval of the entire terminal in the port of Mukran. “Climate and marine protection lost today in the Federal Administrative Court. This is an incentive for us as DUH to take further action against the unnecessary Rügen LNG terminal in further proceedings,” said DUH managing director Sascha Müller-Kraenner. They want to exhaust all legal means.

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The LNG ship has been in the port since the end of February

The existing pipeline is intended to connect two floating LNG terminals to the gas pipeline network in Lubmin, east of Greifswald. The first ship has been in the port since the end of February. Urgent applications aimed at stopping construction had previously failed before the Federal Administrative Court – partly because of the shortage on the gas market.

The municipality of Binz wants to sue against regular operations

With the new decision from Leipzig, the last word has not yet been spoken in connection with the LNG terminal. The municipality of Binz on Rügen had announced that it would sue the Federal Administrative Court against the approval of regular operations and submit an urgent application directed against the operation.

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