\nBERLIN, 28 January 2020 – Polish authorities have controversially \nrubber-stamped an environmental permit for the expansion of PGE\u2019s Tur\u00f3w \nopen-pit lignite mine, just hours after receiving critical submissions \nfrom a German public consultation process. This indicates that concerns \nfrom German people affected by the project are not being taken seriously\n as part of a crucial process to protect the health and wellbeing of all\n citizens near the mine, according to the Europe Beyond Coal campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\n Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was supposed to be concluded in \nMarch 2020 to allow for German and Czech submissions on transboundary \nenvironmental impacts, but not only did the Wroclaw authorities publish \ntheir 170 page EIA early, without proper consideration of German \nsubmissions, they also declared the decision immediately enforceable. \nThis means that PGE can move forward with its mine expansion license \nbefore any appeals can be launched. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis consultation process \nfor the Tur\u00f3w mine has been a total sham. Wroclaw authorities said back \nin December 2019 that they had sufficient documentation to issue their \ndecision. It\u2019s clear they never had any intention of properly taking \ninto account the transboundary submissions which could be submitted up \nuntil 20 January 2020, and the impact the mine will have on their German\n neighbours,\u201d said Kerstin Doerenbruch, press spokeswoman at Greenpeace \nBerlin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
PGE wants to expand the mine, which is located on the \nborder with Germany and the Czech Republic, and operate it and the Tur\u00f3w\n power plant until 2044. But its plans have been met with strong \nopposition from the Czech Ministry of Environment (1), and over 5,000 \npeople from bordering communities in the Czech Republic and Germany have\n filed critical submissions under the EIA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Czech Republic \nofficially opposed the prolongation of Tur\u00f3w as the transboundary \nconsultations found it risks damaging its territory and depriving over \n30,000 people of drinking water. But instead of seeking to integrate \nCzech concerns through a process of mutual consultation, Poland simply \nissued the permit. That\u2019s not taking Czech disapproval into account as \nthey are obliged, that\u2019s just disregard,\u201d said Petra Urbanov\u00e1, who is a \nlawyer at Frank Bold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPGE knows that tighter water regulations \nand rising emission prices will ensure Tur\u00f3w closes long before 2044. \nThe Polish authorities are simply fudging the proceedings so that PGE \ncan extend its licence and demand more compensation when it\u2019s inevitably\n forced to shut Tur\u00f3w down. They\u2019re toying with people’s health and the \nclimate, and stomping all over the wishes of communities in Germany and \nthe Czech Republic,\u201d said Kuba Gogolewski, Senior Finance Campaigner at \nthe Foundation “Development YES – Open-Pit Mines NO”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ENDS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contacts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alastair Clewer, Communications Officer, Europe Beyond Coal Kerstin Doerenbruch, Press Spokeswoman, Greenpeace Berlin, Nikol Krejcova, Campaigner, Greenpeace Czechia: Kuba Gogolewski, Project Coordinator and Senior Finance Campaigner, Fundacja \u201cRozw\u00f3j TAK – Odkrywki NIE\u201d, Petra Urbanov\u00e1, Lawyer, Frank Bold, NOTES<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1.\n The Czech Ministry of Environment complained about the faulty EIA \nprocess and in it offered a negative statement on the proposed expansion\n of the mine, arguing that the plans to secure drinking water for local \nresidents are inadequate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PGE\u2019s current licence for the mine \nexpires in April 2020. Meanwhile, Generali, one of PGE\u2019s insurers of \nTur\u00f3w mine recently pulled out of the project when its contract expired \nat the end of 2019. Two of PGE\u2019s other mining projects have also \nrecently fallen by the wayside: Z\u0142oczew failed to gain the approval of \nthe region\u2019s spatial plan, while Gubin failed to meet the necessary \nrequirements for its EIA. The Tur\u00f3w lignite power plant and mine were responsible\n for a modelled 120 premature deaths in 2017, 80 of which were estimated\n to have taken place outside of Poland\u2019s borders<\/a>, with Germany and Czechia most affected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Video: Turow emissions video<\/a> About:
alastair@beyond-coal.eu<\/a>, +49 176 433 07 185<\/p>\n\n\n\n
presse@greenpeace.berlin, +49 163 614 1395 (German, English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nikol.krejcova@greenpeace.org<\/a>, +420 778 002 468 (Czech, English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
k.gogolewski@fundacja.rt-on.pl<\/a>, +48 661 862 611 (Polish, English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
petra.urbanova@frankbold.org<\/a>, +420778777164 (Czech, English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Report: Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air: Air Quality, Toxic and Health Impacts of the Turow Power Plant <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Europe\n Beyond Coal is an alliance of civil society groups working to catalyse \nthe closures of coal mines and power plants, prevent the building of any\n new coal projects and hasten the just transition to clean, renewable \nenergy and energy efficiency. Our groups are devoting their time, energy\n and resources to this independent campaign to make Europe coal-free by \n2030 or sooner. www.beyond-coal.eu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n