Wind turbines cause trouble
Franziska Mohr|February 20, 2016
Many citizens in Wernsdorf and Uckley are angry, feel tricked by wind power lobby and politics. The reason: The trucks for the construction of ten wind turbines in the local forest area already rolling, but the approval documents for this highly controversial project have still not been published. About 100 concerns were raised against it in the summer.
Many citizens in Wernsdorf and Uckley are angry, feel tricked by wind power lobby and politics. The reason: The trucks for the construction of ten wind turbines in the local forest area already rolling, but the approval documents for this highly controversial project have still not been published. About 100 concerns were raised against it in the summer.
Uckley, GERMANY -- Many citizens in Uckley and Wernsdorf watched in horror as the wind company, Abo Wind, destroyed huge areas in the forest with large machinery and trucks wiping out centuries of flora and fauna," explains Karin Uckleyerin Schwitalla. "We feel cheated by the wind power lobby and politics, deceived and tricked" says Joachim Schulz of the citizens' initiative Wernsdorf firmly incensed.
What happened? Despite nearly 150 objections from citizens and organizations the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment has (LfU) approved the construction of ten of the former 13 proposed wind turbines with heights of just under 200 meters on January 22, spreading over an area totaling about 450 hectares. This is despite …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Uckley, GERMANY -- Many citizens in Uckley and Wernsdorf watched in horror as the wind company, Abo Wind, destroyed huge areas in the forest with large machinery and trucks wiping out centuries of flora and fauna," explains Karin Uckleyerin Schwitalla. "We feel cheated by the wind power lobby and politics, deceived and tricked" says Joachim Schulz of the citizens' initiative Wernsdorf firmly incensed.
What happened? Despite nearly 150 objections from citizens and organizations the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment has (LfU) approved the construction of ten of the former 13 proposed wind turbines with heights of just under 200 meters on January 22, spreading over an area totaling about 450 hectares. This is despite conservationists classifying this terrain as bog catchment and with 14 species of bats, various raptors, and according to the BI the discovery of nearly 40 habitats. The excavators are already rolling.
"Here facts were also given against wind turbines without the citizens having a real chance to tackle it," says Schwitalla.The approval documents, which comprise 102 pages, will be made public on 24 February in the Official Journal of Brandenburg after the fact. To date, the citizens are unable to tell whether, following an almost ten-hour hearing in May 2015, their concerns were heard. "To date, we have no idea if or whether any of our concerns were taken into account," says Schulz resigned. The conservationists Alex Mieritz from Regional Association Dahmeland comments on the lack of transparency of a "levering democracy".
The State Agency insists its process is completely legal. Written states: "The legislature has decoupled the publication of the decision and time for when a developer can act on the permission granted. "Within a month of the announcement being made public to the opposition, comments will be reviewed by the LfU. "For me this is a travesty, because the trees are then destroyed long ago," says Nadine Wernsdorferin Glahn.
The project manager of Abo Wind, Zacharias Hahn, however, says that the natural environment has been sufficiently considered. "All sensitive areas as well as two small bogs were considered and largely excluded from planning, as required by law." The construction will also be monitored by the environmental company Dubrow GmbH. The company is grateful for any advice of citizens who contact the teams through the web at www.abo-wind.de.
Residents also point out that on the highway in Müggelspree-Löcknitzer forest and lake area in the Oder-Spree district (LOS), there are plans for another 30 wind turbines.
The Wusterhausen Mayor Lutz Franzke (SPD) openly stated: "About this wind plant in the forest, I am not happy." The municipality lodged an objection, which the LfU rejected.
Translation to English is provided via Google Translate.