After the decision of the Brandenburg State Environment Agency to continue building the factory of the US electric car manufacturer Tesla, nature conservation associations demanded that the company immediately provide a security deposit. “This is the only way to ensure that the licensing authority does not come under undue pressure to process the procedure and that any necessary dismantling does not have to be carried out at the expense of the taxpayer,” declared the Naturschutzbund Germany and the Green League in a letter published on Thursday evening to Brandenburg’s Environment Minister Axel Vogel (Greens).

Extended deadline The Brandenburg Ministry of the Environment announced on Wednesday that the country had agreed with Tesla for an extended period until 15. January agreed to deposit 100 million euros for any dismantling costs. The ministry had also stated that Tesla had assumed the obligation to pay all possible dismantling costs with a letter of comfort. Therefore, the work on the construction site in Grünheide near Berlin should continue. “Representatives of the state government have always asserted that Tesla does not receive any preferential treatment from a legal point of view,” complained the nature conservation associations in their letter to the minister. “The amendment notice now available clearly contradicts these claims.”

Tesla had the security deposit after an early approval for further deforestation and the installation of machines for the Paint shop not on time by 17. December rendered. As a result, work was suspended for the time being. Tesla is currently building through individual provisional approvals because the decision on the final environmental approval by the state of Brandenburg is still pending. Brandenburg’s Economics Minister Steinbach (SPD) announced last week that he expected a decision on the permit application for the plant at the beginning of the year.

(dahe)