Current newspaper article from Austria regarding objections to...

Current newspaper article from Austria regarding objections to the EIA...now it will be really exciting in the near future how things will continue...

https://www.kleinezeitung.at/kaernten/lavanttal/19384066/lithium-abbau-wird-nun-fall-fuer-das-bundesverwaltungsgericht

February 20, 2025, 16:09

Lithium mining will now be a case for the Federal Administrative Court

According to the state of Carinthia, no environmental impact assessment is required for the project on the Weinebene. Eight parties have lodged an appeal against this.

Author Sandra Zarfl

Sandra Zarfl Editor Regional Editor Wolfsberg & Völkermarkt

February 20, 2025, 4:09 pm

“We expect an oral hearing before the Federal Administrative Court to take place before the end of this year - possibly even this quarter, as the project applicant has been given just two weeks to respond,” says Christian Schuhböck, Secretary General of the Alliance for Nature organization. Specifically, this concerns lithium mining on the Weinebene, for which, according to the province of Carinthia, no environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required. The Vienna-based nature, culture and landscape conservation organization “Alliance For Nature” (AFN), as an environmental organization recognized throughout Austria, filed an appeal against the Carinthian provincial government's decision at the beginning of December, meaning that the “Koralpe lithium mining” project will now become a case for the Federal Administrative Court (BVwG).

Schuhböck: "It is unacceptable that such an extensive and controversial project, which could cause considerable damage to nature and the environment, is not subjected to an environmental impact assessment. Why do the Austrian EIA Act and the European EIA Directive exist if such projects are simply waved through without an EIA?" The organization “Alliance For Nature” is even of the opinion that the declaratory decision of the Carinthian provincial government is unlawful because the individual case and cumulative assessment was only carried out in accordance with the Austrian EIA Act (UVP-G 2000) and not also in accordance with the European EIA Directive (EIA Directive). Furthermore, in their opinion, the case law of the Administrative Court (VwGH) and that of the European Court of Justice (EuGH) was disregarded. "The beautiful mountain ridge of the Koralpe between Carinthia and Styria is in danger of being completely denatured. Above ground it is being obstructed by wind farms, underground it is being exploited by the planned lithium mining," says Schuhböck.

According to the economic department of the state of Carinthia, the planned mining project has been comprehensively examined by the EIA authority with experts to determine whether an environmental impact assessment is required. It was not a political decision as to whether an EIA procedure should be carried out. The EIA authority had to adhere strictly to the legal situation. The ball is now in the court of the Federal Administrative Court. Irrespective of the official assessment of an EIA obligation by the EIA authority, the economic department views the planned project “critically”. However, this assessment is “not part of the EIA determination procedure and must be kept strictly separate from the official assessment.”

In addition, the environmental lawyer of the province of Styria, the Carinthian Nature Conservation Advisory Board, the environmental organization “Global 2000”, the environmental organization “Virus”, the Koralm Water Association, the municipality of Deutschlandsberg and the market town of Frantschach-St. Gertraud have submitted complaints. “We have presented our arguments and are also in constant contact with the municipality of Deutschlandsberg,” says Günther Vallant, Mayor of Frantschach-St. Gertraud (SPÖ).