The nitrogen measures of agricultural minister Femke Wiersma (BBB) are so substandard that the province has deleted a planned nitrogen consultation. Consultations make no sense until the cabinet actually takes measures, it says in an email from the province that Omroep Brabant has.
According to deputy Wilma Dirken (VVD), Brabant was not helped with the plans that the minister recently presented. More content, pace and money is needed to prevent Brabant from drowning in the nitrogen marsh and is completely locked is her message.
And that is also apparent from the leaked mail to the members of the Brabant Nitrogen Consultation. “We have previously agreed that we would continue to talk about the plans of the cabinet,” it says. “With what is there, there are not enough starting points at the moment to further work this out for Brabant and discuss it with you.”
No permits
For more than two years it has been difficult in Brabant to get a permit for, for example, the construction of homes, the construction of roads and of energy projects. It is so bad with vulnerable nature areas that they cannot tolerate extra nitrogen. If a project ensures extra nitrogen in that vulnerable nature, it cannot continue. There are 1200 permit applications at the province on the shelf.
There is also uncertainty at companies. At the end of last year, the Council of State put a line by using empty nitrogen space in permits, so that at least 800 Brabant companies still have to apply for a permit. And last month, the Oost-Brabant District Court ruled that the province should again examine ten permits of farmers. This means that irrevocably forgiven permits are now also in danger.
Nitrogen nut
Brabant seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into the nitrogen marsh. In the meantime, a specially set committee of the government has been working on new nitrogen measures for months.
A month ago, agricultural minister Femke Wiersma (BBB) presented a ‘starter package’ to help nature a bit above it again. This includes measures for De Peel, but the rest of the province has not yet been helped.
In fact, the minister’s measures are not even enough to resolve the problems surrounding the Peel. “The budget of 600 million for the De Peel and De Veluwe approach is by no means sufficient to get those regions of the nitrogen lock,” says Deputy Dirken. “Let alone that this budget will make a sufficient impact to initiate permits throughout the Netherlands.” The province estimates that several billions will be needed for regions in Brabant alone.
After the summer
On Thursday, the House of Representatives will discuss the national plans of the cabinet. After the summer, another Brabant consultation with farmers, environmental organizations and companies are planned. The province hopes that by that time there will be more clarity about additional measures.