Two adjacent water boards that take a different position towards gas extraction in their region. This is now happening in Drenthe and Friesland. While Wetterskip Fryslân is raising the alarm about the consequences for gas extraction and no longer wants gas extraction, the Drents Overijsselse Delta Water Board (WDODelta) today expressed the position that it does not want to be in favor or against gas extraction. It is striking now that there are new extraction plans in the border region.
“Our position is that we are not about gas extraction, but about water,” says Folkert Stienstra (BBB) of the executive board of WDODelta. “Wetterskip Fryslân has chosen to make it political.”
Gas is extracted in several places on the border of Overijssel, Friesland and Drenthe. New locations have recently been announced, such as Eesveen and Wapse. There are also expansion plans around the UNESCO area near Frederiksoord and Vledder. The possible consequences worry residents, local administrators, the State Supervision of Mines and also Wetterskip Fryslân.
According to Wetterskip Fryslân, gas extraction worsens the problems in areas that are vulnerable to climate change. Gas extraction causes soil subsidence. While Friesland is usually too wet, Drenthe is usually too dry and the subsidence on the border ensures that the water will flow even faster from Drenthe to Friesland, a hydrologist from the Frisian water board recently explained.
If water boards do not take measures against the consequences of gas extraction, Friesland will become too wet and Drenthe too dry due to subsidence on the border. But Wetterskip no longer wants to take those measures because they cause other problems. The Wetterskip therefore spoke of ‘irreparable damage’ that will occur if gas extraction continues.
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