German Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) rejected claims from environmental groups that the proposed “Infrastructure Future Law” would undermine environmental protection. In a guest column for “Handelsblatt”, the CDU politician stated that “environmental protection standards will remain untouched”.
Schnieder explains that the reform aims to establish “a responsible and necessary new balance between environmental protection and infrastructure”. He stresses that the adjustment is not an indication of prioritising road construction over nature and species conservation. “It does not stem from the belief that motorways are more important than environmental and nature protection” the minister wrote. Instead, tightening procedures is “an urgently needed response to changed circumstances”.
In addition, Schnieder sees a further need for reform at the European level. “If we want binding deadline regulations, or-as called for in the coalition agreement-to largely forego environmental impact assessments in the case of new or replacement construction, we need reforms at the EU level” he said. “This demand is rightly being raised by the states as well”.