Risks of gas extraction too great to ignore
Yesterday in The Hague, the municipality of Opsterland expressed its concerns about the planned gas extraction in the Akkrum field. Together with other Frisian authorities and local residents, we made it clear that the risks to our soil, living environment, and future generations are too great to ignore.
During the hearing, Alderman van Opzeeland emphasized that the area is already under considerable pressure due to water extraction, deep drainage, and other activities. In his opinion, placing an additional burden on the area through gas extraction is irresponsible.
Alderman Opzeeland: "What's more, there are fully-fledged alternatives available, such as mono-manure fermentation and LNG. The Rijksoverheid solve the nitrogen problem so that there is room again for the expansion of mono-manure fermentation. This will enable us to produce sufficient gas, making additional gas extraction no longer necessary."
The municipality of Opsterland remains committed to providing a safe, sustainable living environment for our residents and will use all available means to reinforce this position.
The Leeuwarder Courant newspaper wrote an article about the hearing, which can be found here: Broad Frisian protest at The Hague hearing on gas extraction in Akkrum - Leeuwarder Courant
