“Can’t we vote on it in Schoonebeek”, a resident shouts through the packed room. “If the village says no, is it no?” asks another villager. The answer of chairman Bert Bouwmeester of the Unburdening table waste water oil extraction this is more than clear: “No. The government is responsible. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is responsible for the permit and the decision whether or not the NAM can do this.”
That there are also villagers who are loyal to the NAM becomes clear when an elderly man stands up and shouts: “What are the obstacles for water injection in empty gas fields and restarting oil extraction? They have been around for a year now. trying to get out of it. We’re all short of energy. Start up!”
The older man’s reaction is typical of why the most critical Schoonebeekers keep a low profile. Even if they would rather not do that, admits a resident who is against the raw waste water injection. “When I ask in the neighborhood app whether people are coming along to an information evening about wastewater from NAM, we get responses like this: ‘No, NAM has always been good to us.’ It will be okay this time too.” The most critical group says they do not dare to stir properly. They would like to live longer with the other villagers.
“That is why wastewater is also high on the agenda of our next meeting of members of Dorpsbelangen. We not only want to check our mandate, but also know what position we should take on the processing of wastewater,” explains chairman Van Hees of Dorpsbelangen.