To allow the construction of Logistic Park Moerdijk to still go ahead, the province of North Brabant has bought up so-called nitrogen rights from farmers in other provinces. MPs and the relevant provincial councils are unapologetic about North Brabant's 'cowboy behaviour'.
In November, a line was drawn through the building plans of Logistic Park Moerdijk (LMP) in Noord-Brabant. The Council of State ruled that the plans for the business park did not comply with the nitrogen ruling. The provincial government was given six months to make a so-called Passive Assessment, which must show the impact of the project on the surrounding Natura 2000 areas. Then, based on a so-called ADC test, it has to show that the province will reduce or compensate for the nitrogen emissions.
Acquisition of nitrogen rights in other provinces
One of the means that can be used to allow the construction plans to go ahead after all is the purchase of nitrogen rights from farmers. Seventy per cent of those nitrogen rights can be reused. The province of North Brabant has now signed agreements with six farmers, reports newspaper Trouw. Only two of them have a farm in North Brabant. The other four farmers are spread across the rest of the country.
'Reprehensible'
This has not gone down well with the provinces in question, which are themselves looking for nitrogen space. "North Brabant is driving other provinces straight into the wheels. I find that reprehensible," said South Holland CDA MP Michel Rogier in Trouw. North Holland Commissioner Esther Rommel speaks of an "action that cannot be repeated". "The nitrogen file is complex. You can only implement good policy on it in unity, not each for himself." CDA MP Jaco Geurts also reacted with surprise. He wants to ask the minister questions about the province's 'coywboy behaviour'.
Comment North Brabant
The Brabant provincial government says it will publish a letter today explaining to the provinces and the minister why it acted in this way.
Image: province flag North Brabant
