German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe filed new lawsuit against Nord Stream 2
The German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe demands from the Hamburg court to cancel the decision of the regulator, which previously issued a permit for the construction of Nord Stream 2 in the waters of Germany. This is stated in press release that this organization circulated on Tuesday.
"Deutsche Umwelthilfe filed a lawsuit today against the accelerated construction of Nord Stream 2. A lawsuit filed with the Hamburg Administrative Court is directed against a construction permit that was previously issued by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency," the statement said. p>
Earlier, the Federal Hydrographic Agency dismissed Deutsche Umwelthilfe's objection to further construction and discarded environmental and climate policy arguments. Environmentalists consider it illegal to approve further construction, stating that impacts on climate targets are being ignored, impacts on seabirds and porpoises denied due to data being out of date.
Initially, the regulator issued a permit on January 14, 2021. Environmentalists challenged it a day later. The Federal Office for Shipping and Hydrography rejected the protest on 1 April. Now the environmental organization is seeking a ban on construction through the courts, considering the permit issued at the beginning of the year to be unlawful.
The Nord Stream 2 project involves the construction of two lines of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The work was suspended in December 2019 after the Swiss company Allseas refused to lay the pipes due to possible sanctions from the United States. Construction resumed in December 2020 and is 96% complete today.