Commitments from NAM and no agreements between Schoonebeek and the petroleum company. Record as many of those commitments as possible in the NAM permit for the waste water injection from oil extraction. And no signature from ‘the village’ of Schoonebeek under (additional) agreements about waste water.
In a nutshell, these are the results of the most recent meeting of the Ontzorgtafel. Important angels have now been removed from the process for Dorpsbelangen Schoonebeek. For NAM, this is what they have always wanted. For Stop Afvalwater Schoonebeek, it is old wine in new bottles.
It seems that different parties are looking at the latest turbulent developments around the Ontzorgtafel, the consultations with residents about the restart of oil extraction and the waste water injection from that oil extraction in an empty gas field under Schoonebeek with different lenses.
Chairman Jos van Hees of Dorpsbelangen is happy. At Dorpsbelangen, but also at action group Stop Afvalwater Schoonebeek (SAS), the fear arose that agreements at the Ontzorgtafel will soon make ‘the village’ responsible for (additional) agreements on wastewater injection.
According to van Hees, two important angels have disappeared last night: “It will no longer be agreements with the village and what we ‘agree’ will become commitments and these will be included in the NAM permits as much as possible.” Project leader Jacob Spiegelaar of NAM adds: “For example, the type of tubing of the water injection wells and at what magnitude of an earthquake we have to stop.”
For the agreements that have to be made outside the permits, ‘the village’ or Ontzorgtafel chairman Bert Bouwmeester will not sign on behalf of the village, says Van Hees. “That’s a breaking point for us.” Jenneke Ensink of SAS is also happy with this.
Bouwmeester also qualifies: “The proposal has been agreed not to schedule a signing for the time being.” Responsible State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief of Economic Affairs (EZ) says that he will sign and that NAM will keep its promises. There was also a sting with both village interests and SAS. If Vijlbrief would not sign, then only ‘the village’ would seem to be made responsible for the (additional) agreements with the NAM. And no government.
NAM project leader Spiegelaar: “Think of setting up a working group on people, the environment, flora and fauna. Or an agreement about zero measurements at monumental buildings. We have to record these under private law. We do this after consultation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs about what can and can not be in the permits.” According to the Dorpsbelangen chairman and Spiegelaar, these agreements no longer end up in a foundation ‘for compliance and monitoring’. According to them, a different form will be sought to guarantee the agreements. Dorpsbelangen does not want such a foundation.
For the rest, according to Spiegelaar, there is little new under the sun. “We have always indicated that as many agreements as possible should be included in the permits. I think that the main concern among the participants in the Relaxation Table was that they would soon be liable for the agreements. These are now called commitments and that is what we stand for .”
For Ensink of SAS it is a lot of “old wine in new bottles” and NAM must now take the coals out of the fire for EZ. In other words: the NAM is now solving matters that actually belong to the government – and therefore the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
According to Ensink, the real new crux lies in how NAM’s commitments are ultimately translated into the permit. “There’s still room for maneuver there.” According to SAS, the final version of the agreements made at the Ontzorgtafel still largely looks the same. And according to Ensink, the State Secretary still only signs ‘as a token of appreciation’ for the efforts of everyone at the Relief Table.
Ensink: “The administrative accountability, the uneven playing field between the residents of Schoonebeek and the NAM and EZ remains. And the Ontzorgtafel has no support.”
For Spiegelaar, project leader, there is no doubt about the support or representativeness of the Ontzorgtafel. “Village interests are at the table, the industry circle, the farmers, a nature organization and residents from Schoonebeek and the hamlets. Who else would you like to have?”
The Relief table is not wide enough for SAS. Certainly not now that resident and critical Coevorder council member Irene Driehuis is retiring. Driehuis: “Quite good things have been put down on paper, but for a long time I have had the idea that for EZ it is no more than this: ticking boxes. We have consulted with local residents so that EZ can continue. only the NAM responsible.”
Incidentally, Ensink understands Van Hees’s recovery since last night. Within Dorpsbelangen there are also people who are not against the activities of the NAM. “And what Jos does well is staying at the table. Monitoring what is or is not being discussed and agreed at the Relaxation table. But now there are only yes men at the table.”
Earlier this week, according to Dorpsbelangen and SAS, State Secretary Vijlbrief placed a bomb under the Ontzorgtafel in his most recent letter to the House of Representatives. It literally says about the agreements that are made at the table: “The agreement framework to be established with each other is about the conditions and wishes of the residents, which NAM gives substance to as much as possible.” SAS and Dorpsbelangen wondered what those hard agreements are worth “if NAM can choose for itself what it will and will not do.”
Vijlbrief now says in a letter to SAS and Dorpsbebelangen: “I find it annoying to hear that some of the participants have a different image about the purpose of the Ontzorgtafel. At the first meeting in Schoonebeek I said that the project will not take place if there is no support. Nothing has changed in that statement. That is why, as promised in the House of Representatives, I will listen very carefully to the inhabitants of Drenthe and all the different voices.”
“I only issue a permit if it can be done safely and responsibly. I therefore ask TNO, the State Supervision of Mines (SodM) and the regional authorities for advice. In addition to the content of those recommendations, I also look at other interests, such as that of residents. Of course, I also include the results of the survey, which is organized by Dorpsbelangen Schoonebeek, in my decision.”
Despite earlier promises this week to RTV Drenthe for an interview, Vijlbrief ultimately had no opportunity to provide further explanation.