MÜNSTER (dpa-AFX) - In the legal dispute over the operating plan and possible clearances in the Hambach lignite mining area, RWE Power AG, as the operator, has submitted a so-called standstill commitment to the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia in Münster until January 31. The declaration was received in Münster on January 8, said an OVG spokeswoman when asked by the German Press Agency. This ensures that no clearing work will take place before the end of the current month.
The 21st Senate of the OVG had asked the company for this commitment in order to gain time for effective legal protection for the plaintiff. This is to prevent the creation of facts. On January 3, Friends of the Earth Germany (Bund) had filed a lawsuit against the current main operating plan and at the same time tried to use urgent proceedings to prevent the clearing of the "Sündenwälchen" forest.
The federal government had stated in several press releases that work was scheduled to begin on January 13. RWE had always denied this. According to the OVG, the plaintiff had been informed of the request for a temporary injunction.
Suspension order not necessary
If RWE had not made this declaration, the court would have had to issue a so-called suspension order to prevent a possible clearing. A clearing ban is in force from March 1 to September 30 to protect breeding birds.
The Hambach Forest is a symbol of years of protests surrounding the Hambach brown coal mine. North Rhine-Westphalia plans to phase out coal-fired power generation ahead of schedule by 2030.