Tesla is allowed to clear even more forest areas on its construction site at Giga Berlin. That was decided by the Frankfurt (Oder) administrative court. It rejected an urgent application from environmental associations for a temporary stop from clearing. They lodged a complaint.
The State Environment Agency originally approved the Giga Berlin tree felling work on November 30th. However, on December 7th, the two associations had lodged an objection with the competent administrative court. The reason given was that the deforestation would kill protected animal species such as the sand lizard and smooth snake in their underground winter quarters. It was only on Tuesday that the court stopped the preliminary approval for the clearing in an urgent procedure.
The environmental associations filed a complaint with the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg on Thursday. The complaint was received by the court, confirmed OVG spokeswoman Christiane Scheerhorn.
Yet, in the meantime, in the Spreeau district of Freienbrink in Grünheide (Oder-Spree) there is new resistance to the planned Tesla factory, which is being built a few hundred meters from the site. Critical residents are involved in a community of interests there.
According to its own statements, the interest group represents 80 of the almost 300 residents of Freienbrink. The citizens see the Tesla settlement as an opportunity for the region, but they are concerned about the quality of life in their place.
They are concerned because of two reasons: traffic and bad odor. If Tesla expands its factory in the coming years, it will also generate more wastewater. Then a sewage treatment plant is needed. One location that the responsible water association WSE is currently examining, along with others, is the forest south of Freienbrink. Therefore, the Freienbrinkers fear that bad smells will invade their village. They also don't want any more trees to be felled.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.
