Hundreds appeal against gas drilling on North Sea island

By Janene Pieters on July 21, 2016 - 11:35
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The marina on the Dutch island of Schiermonnikoog, looking south towards the Wadden Sea (Photo: Jvhertum/Wikimedia Commons). (The marina on the Dutch island of Schiermonnikoog, looking south towards the Wadden Sea (Photo: Jvhertum/Wikimedia Commons))

Hundreds of people and several organizations are appealing to the Council of State against proposed exploratory drilling for natural gas on the North Sea island of Schiermonnikoog, Dagblad van het Noorden reports.

Minister Henk Kamp and State Secretary Martijn van Dam gave gas company Engie permission to do exploratory drilling on Schiermonnikoog, despite the majority of parliament speaking out against it. 

This led to dissatisfaction from many island residents and other enthusiasts. They feel that the Ministry is misusing the Crisis- and Recovery Act to deliberately take the Schiermonnikoog municipality and other governing authorities out of play.

They therefore decided to call on the Council of State for help. The appeal was filed by the Waddenvereniging on behalf of the Schiermonnikoog municipality, environmental organization Natuurmonumenten and hundreds of Wadden enthusiasts.

 

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