Gas drilling preparations can begin in the North Sea near Schiermonnikoog, court rules

Preparations for the extraction of natural gas in the North Sea by Schiermonnikoog are allowed to begin with permission from the court. Gas company ONE-Dyas was given approval by the preliminary relief judge on Friday to install a production platform that will be put into use by the end of the year to extract gas from the seabed.

The oil rig will be 20 kilometers off the coast of Schiermonnikoog, one of the Wadden Islands located north of Friesland. Opponents of the gas project argue that nitrogen emissions and underwater noise are harmful to marine life and will further damage dune areas.

In addition, environmental organizations consider it undesirable to tap new fossil fuel sources considering climate change developments. In April, the District Court in The Hague agreed with the critics on part of their criticism, saying that the permit was not properly substantiated on a number of points.

Outgoing Mining State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief was then ordered to reassess the situation and issue a new decision, which he did when he again approved the permit at the end of May. The opponents then went to court and again the Council of State.

Both the outgoing Cabinet and the newly formed coalition want to ramp up gas extraction in the North Sea, so that the Netherlands becomes less dependent on foreign gas. The VVD is in both the outgoing and incoming government, and will be joined in the new right-wing government by the PVV, NSC and BBB.