2024-02-21 09:17:13
In the “Sonnenweiher” case in Grafenwörth (Tulln district), Greenpeace identified, according to a broadcast, “the failure of the state of Lower Austria in soil protection”. The legal examination of all environmentally relevant documents by the Ecoburo revealed “vague legislation and lax implementation”. This results in the demand for the state government in St. Pölten to tighten up the spatial planning law and strictly implement it. The country denied the allegations.
“The legal analysis shows that the construction project was waved through despite inadequately argued environmental reports and the bias of the mayor and then municipal association president Alfred Riedl (ÖVP, note),” said Greenpeace. The state of Lower Austria approved the change to the local spatial planning program, even though this violates the central climate and soil protection goals of the Lower Austrian spatial planning.
“The current lax legislation allows soil protection to be shamelessly undermined for economic interests.” The “Sonnenweiher” case shows how easy it is “as a mayor to push through private profit interests with absurd arguments – and then get away with it due to a lack of controls,” said the NGO.
After criticism of the project, Greenpeace applied for all environmentally relevant documents on the case in accordance with the Environmental Information Act and had them legally examined by Ökobüro. The analysis shows that ecological concerns have been brushed off the table with flimsy arguments. The area of the construction project was described as “poor in species”, even though there is a European protected area in the immediate vicinity. The foil lake, which is fed from groundwater, is presented as environmentally friendly, “without providing any evidence”. No concepts have been presented to improve the poor public connection.
“There is no explosive population growth in Grafenwörth that would justify a construction project of this magnitude (more than 200 houses around the Foliensee, note),” explained Lisa Weinberger, deputy managing director of Ökobüro. Describing a luxury project for commuters and second homes as a dense form of living that helps avoid traffic is simply incomprehensible.
The state stated that the municipality’s documents were all plausible and sufficiently justified. “The dedication process initiated and decided by the municipality did not contradict the Lower Austrian Spatial Planning Act, so it had to be approved by the supervisory authority,” was stated in a statement sent to ORF Lower Austria.
After the property transactions of the previous municipal association president Riedl, ÖVP mayor of Grafenwörth, which came to light in connection with the “Sonnenweiher” project, the State Audit Office criticized the municipality in an audit report that became known last week. Criticisms included a lack of regulations for dealing with conflicts of interest and a lack of documentation. However, allegations once morest Riedl were not substantiated; private transactions of the politician’s company were not part of the audit.
The Grafenwörth local council was concerned with the documents in question on Tuesday evening. According to ORF Lower Austria, Riedl presented a statement on the test report, and the local council approved the document with a dissenting vote. The mayor saw the report as a “pleasant confirmation” of the work in the municipality, and private conflicts of interest were once once more rejected.
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