The US electric car manufacturer Tesla was initially slowed down during forest clearing when building its factory in Grünheide near Berlin. The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg decided that Tesla was not allowed to clear certain edge areas of land because of the protection of species of sand lizards (OVG 11 p 127 / 20). The Naturschutzbund (Nabu) and the Brandenburg Green League were thus partially successful with a complaint against the early approval. The Nabu urges that further clearing be abandoned. It has also stopped because Tesla has not yet provided the required security for possible dismantling costs.

“Elon Musk has always delivered” The time of the decision on the still missing final approval of the factory is open. The Brandenburg State Environment Agency is evaluating a hearing from nature conservationists and residents and examining applications and arguments as well as statements from authorities, said the spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Environment, Frauke Zelt. Minister Axel Vogel (Greens) think it is possible that the issue of approval will be clarified in January. A specific point in time could not be given. Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD) had told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Saturday) that he assumed that the decision would come at the beginning of the year.

The car expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer expects the project to stay “on schedule”. “On the one hand, Elon Musk is known for the fact that things and announcements can also be delayed. But in the end he always delivered,” said the director of the CAR Center Automotive Research in Duisburg of the German press agency. “And he will also deliver in Berlin.” Dudenhöffer cannot imagine that the approval could fail: “That would make Germany look ridiculous worldwide.”

“Does everything really have to be flattened?” Tesla wants its first European e-car plant in Grünheide in Brandenburg from summer 2021 put into operation. In a first phase around 500. 000 vehicles are produced per year. The company is building on the basis of early building permits. Conservationists and local residents fear negative consequences for the environment.

The Nabu Brandenburg urges that Tesla give up further clearing. “Tesla would have to think hard about whether they could not do without clearing the land,” said country manager Christiane Schröder on Saturday. She asked: “Does everything really have to be flattened?” The state manager of the Brandenburg Green League, Michael Ganschow, asked the company to improve the protection of species.

Ban on killing the protected species The Federal Government Commissioner for SMEs, Thomas Bareiß (CDU), criticized the conservationists. “Unfortunately, what Tesla and Elon Musk experience in terms of resistance from environmental activists is the daily practice of thousands of medium-sized and family businesses in Germany,” said the Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics to the Handelsblatt .

The OVG decided that to protect sand lizards that hibernate there, felling in the edge areas of the planned areas, especially parallel to the track system, was prohibited. Tesla had the reptiles collected and moved, but at a time when at least adult males were already in winter quarters. The court sees the danger that the ban on killing the protected species sand lizard and smooth snake will be violated because of the clearing. The tree felling was also temporarily stopped in a strip along the highway 10 because it was not clear why this area was necessary .

Security deposit for dismantling costs not provided on time The administrative court of Frankfurt (Oder) had approved the felling of just under hectares of forest. During the first clearing, an area of ​​92 hectares was cleared. In February, the OVG rejected the urgent requests from two environmental associations. Because Tesla has not provided a security deposit for possible dismantling costs of 92 million euros on time, the installation of machines in the paint shop is also at a standstill in addition to further tree felling . Tesla now has until January 4th to make the security deposit. Otherwise the permit for clearing and machine installation would be invalid for the time being.

(bme)