Fryslân objects to gas extraction permit in Akkrum area
Vermilion Energy Netherlands has received a permit from the Minister of Climate and Green Growth to extract gas from the Akkrum area. This area runs roughly from Sneek to the municipality of Opsterland. The province of Fryslân is lodging an objection to this decision, also on behalf of Wetterskip Fryslân and the municipalities of Heerenveen, Smallingerland, Ooststellingwerf, Súdwest-Fryslân, Opsterland and De Fryske Marren. The municipality of Leeuwarden is filing its own objection. The Akkrum extraction area lies under all these municipalities.
Marcel van Opzeeland, Alderman Municipality of Opsterland: "We are concerned about the way Fryslân has been treated in national energy policy in recent decades. For a long time gas has been extracted under Opsterland, while precisely in our region there is relatively high energy poverty. Now that the effects of subsidence are also becoming visible, it seems that Fryslân is again bearing a disproportionate amount of risk, while a large part of the proceeds goes to The Hague. That feels unfair to us.
What makes it even more painful is that housing and agriculture here are severely restricted by nitrogen regulations because of three valuable Natura 2000 areas. At the same time, the national government allows additional gas production, which can put further pressure on precisely these vulnerable natural areas. This consideration raises many questions for us. We therefore find it very unfortunate that this permit has been granted and will make our voice heard on this matter."

Press release Provinsje Fryslân
Fryslân objects to gas extraction permit in Akkrum area
Vermilion Energy Netherlands has received a permit from the Minister of Climate and Green Growth to extract gas from the Akkrum area. This area runs roughly from Sneek to the municipality of Opsterland. The province of Fryslân is lodging an objection to this decision, also on behalf of Wetterskip Fryslân and the municipalities of Heerenveen, Smallingerland, Ooststellingwerf, Súdwest-Fryslân, Opsterland and De Fryske Marren. The municipality of Leeuwarden is filing its own objection. The Akkrum extraction area lies under all these municipalities.
The Frisian authorities had already given a negative opinion in the preliminary process. The minister did not take this sufficiently into account. The Akkrum area is a large extraction area and lies in the middle of peat meadows. By definition, this makes the area unsuitable for gas production.
Request for minister to review and reconsider permit granted
All Frisian governments are represented in the Frisian Mining Table and are unanimously opposed to gas production under land. The authorities are seizing all legal opportunities to influence plans and decision-making: views, objections and appeals. For Akkrum, the authorities are now asking the minister to review and "reconsider" the decision in an objection. The minister will have to make a decision on this objection and the governments can appeal this decision, i.e. go to court.
Commissioner Friso Douwstra: "The minister agrees to more and more gas extraction in our province. But the problems are piling up. Especially in peat meadow areas where the soil is sinking anyway, this leads to soil and drinking water problems and limitations of land use for agriculture, housing and the economy, for example. This also affects livability. In addition, it remains unclear how damage will be compensated and whether national profits from gas extraction will also be partially reinvested in our province. So far there has only been talk of burdens and not lusts. On behalf of all of Fryslân, I therefore call on the minister to stop extraction and not to turn our province into a wine region."
Daily board member Remco van Maurik adds: "This gas extraction area is also right in the low middle of Fryslân, an area that is crucial to slow salinization and dehydration. If gas is extracted here, the soil subsides and we as a water board lose the margin to raise water levels. That means we make the area increasingly vulnerable to future generations."
Solid arguments for objecting
Arguments to still take the extraction license off the table in its entirety are:
- The opinion of the State Supervision of Mines is outdated;
- The Akkrum area is unsuitable for the extraction of natural gas, in part because it is peatland and drinking water catchment area;
- The period of extraction should be shortened; the permit is granted until 2045 while it is becoming increasingly clear that gas extraction in peatland has negative effects.
- The extraction area must be smaller. Vermilion has indicated it wants to extract from the Oosterboorng gas field. This is only a fraction of the entire requested extraction area. Awarding the entire area is unnecessary. Extraction in the Oosterboorn gas field is also undesirable.
