VIBORG: The Danish Social Appeals Board has now asked Viborg Municipality for a supplementary statement on Tangeværket and Tange Sø, which the municipality failed to carry out an otherwise legally required habitat assessment of in 2023. This is stated in a letter from the Danish Social Appeals Board to Viborg City Council on 6 January.
Tangeværket has produced electricity since 2015 without having an actual permit and in this context must have investigated the plant's impact on nature and the Gudenå River. A majority of the city council chose not to do this in 2023 - citing that it would be a waste of time and resources, because a decision for the area from the Ministry of the Environment was announced during 2024.
- There have been many, many environment ministers who have not made a decision. How long can one continue as a responsible minister to refrain from making a decision that we know is necessary, was the statement from the chairwoman of the Climate and Environment Committee in Viborg, Eva Pinnerup (S), shortly after the New Year to TV Midtvest.
Independent of government decision
But Viborg cannot fail to make the statutory assessment with reference to a future government decision, it is clear from the Danish Appeals Board's letter, which refers to a statement from the Ministry of the Environment and Equality to the board on December 5.
Here it is clear that the case in Viborg regarding an extraction permit under the Water Supply Act "is independent of the government's work on the revisit of the water area plans in 2024, where a decision will be taken on any need for action for Tange Sø. Including the handling of the blockage at Tangeværket with a view to Denmark complying with the EU's Water Framework Directive".
In light of of the response from the ministry, the Danish National Appeals Board is now asking Viborg Municipality for a supplementary statement, specifically explaining the decision to await the state's announcement in 2024 regarding the need for action in relation to the closure at Tangeværket.
"We will use the statement to assess whether there is reason to raise a supervisory case," says the Danish National Appeals Board.
The municipality has two months to formulate a response statement.
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