German city joins calls for enforcement of water laws over Polish mine
The German city of Zittau is joining calls on the EU to uphold water laws to protect people after a revelation that the local Polish Turów lignite mine just across the border has been polluting the Western Niesse River.
The mine discharge transferred into the river could stand to affect structural integrity for buildings in the local area - known as subsidence - which could cause severe damage or even lead to buildings collapsing.
The Lord Mayor of Zittau has joined forces with representatives from the Czech city of Liberec in calling for the EU to intervene.
This information comes from a hydrology study performed by Dr Ralf E. Krupp, which states that the coal mine has already reduced groundwater levels in the region by as much as 100 metres, with a further drop of 20 metres expected.
The study warns that high concentrations of sulphate have been detected in the Lusatian Niesse River and local water sources are being presumed polluted by the highly-acidic mine water.
The study also estimates that water shortages caused by the mine's operation mean it could take 144 years to fill the pit once closed, far exceeding the estimates made by the state-owned Polska Grupa Energtyczna (PGE) - the largest energy producer in Poland - and which also own the rights to the mine.
The Lord Mayor, Thomas Zenker, gave the following address: “I urge the technical authorities of the Free State of Saxony to re-examine the risks and, if necessary, to take legal action against the project, following the example of the Czech side.
"The previous approval procedure had already been unsatisfactory, and it was questionable whether the legal requirements of a European environmental impact assessment were met.”
The mine has been operated illegally since May 2020, when the PGE gained an extended six-year licence from the Polish government, despite not carrying out the proper regulatory assessments.
The mine also falls dangerously close to the German-Czech border, which is wreaking havoc on the local area.
The crisis was recently escalated when the Czech Republic filed a formal complaint to the European Commission, citing the mine's consumption of 30 litres of water per second as the cause of the major water shortages in the area.
People from across Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany have joined forces under the banner Thirsty for Justice to protest the failure of legislation to protect the local area.
Civil society groups also sent a joint statement to the European Commission, outlining how Turów mine violates the Water Framework Directive, Environmental Liability Directive, the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, and the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive.
However, the PGE is looking to expand and re-licence the mine until at least 2044.
Zala Primc, Europe Beyond Coal campaigner said: “It’s bad enough that in 2020, people are having to fight to prevent coal companies from denying them access to drinking water and damaging their property.
"This coal mine is in blatant violation of EU laws and will inevitably have to be abandoned as coal’s economics continue to plunge. The European Commission needs to protect people’s rights.”
Riccardo Nigro, campaign coordinator on coal combustion and mines at the European Environmental Bureau: “People in three countries are paying the price for PGE’s greed. If the Commission is serious about the European Green Deal, climate action, and the rule of law, they must start an infringement procedure against the Polish government immediately, and hold PGE accountable for its illegal water grab. This is the very least we can expect from them.”
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