Groningen: At least €30 billion to repair government's "honor debt" for gas extraction

The national government must invest at least 30 billion euros in Groningen in the coming decades to repay the “debt of honor” it owes the province after years of gas extraction. The money will go to improving the quality of life and social cohesion in the province, tackling structural poverty and high unemployment, and making all its homes gas-free, NOS reports based on a proposal to the Cabinet.

The package of measures comes from the province of Groningen, ten municipalities affected by the fracking earthquakes, and two water boards. They coordinated the plans with the Groninger Bodem Beweging, an interest group for residents. They presented the proposal to Prime Minster Mark Rutte and State Secretary Hans Vijlbriefwhen they visited the earthquake area on Monday.

About half of the 30 billion euros will go to improving quality of life and social cohesion. €7.5 billion is for making all the homes in the province natural-gas free. And 5 billion euros is for an investment fund.

Last month, the parliamentary committee of inquiry on natural gas extraction in Groningen concluded that the Netherlands owes Groningen a debt of honor. “The interests of Groningen residents were structurally ignored in gas extraction,” the committee concluded in its final report. Groningen supplied the Netherlands with cheap gas for over 60 years, and only 1 percent of the revenues ended up in the province. The State earned over 360 billion euros from Groningen gas extraction while leaving the region with frequent fracking earthquakes and damaged homes.

Groningen, therefore, feels it is high time the government gives something back to the province, apart from repairing the damage to homes and cultural heritage. Their proposal focuses primarily on tackling the structural poverty and high unemployment in the area, giving young people more opportunities to develop, and improving and increasing facilities for the elderly.

“We think we are making very civilized demands,” said King’s Commissioner Rene Paas. “€30 billion is a lot of money, but it doesn’t have to be ready tomorrow. If you compare our wishes to the size of the national budget, it is easily achievable.” The consequences of natural gas extraction have affected many people in Groningen, Paas told NOS. “That is an important part of the debt of honor, and it must be paid.”

Paas expects that the province will have to fight to get these demands met. “We have never received anything as a gift from the Stae in the past, so we are preparing for intensive talks, the outcome of which is not yet certain.”

The government hasn’t yet responded to Gronignen’s proposals. Vijlbrief will likely only respond in May, according to the broadcaster.