German Climate Activists Request Federal Regulator To Revoke Nord Stream 2 Permit

Environmental Action Germany (DUH) submitted on Wednesday an application with Germany's federal maritime regulator, requesting it to revoke the permit to continue the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline "for climate protection reasons."

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2021) Environmental Action Germany (DUH) submitted on Wednesday an application with Germany's federal maritime regulator, requesting it to revoke the permit to continue the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline "for climate protection reasons."

The request came as Republican Congressman Fred Keller introduced legislation that would reinstate sanctions on entities involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, despite the White House signaling its refusal to impose restrictions.

"Environmental Action Germany filed today an application with the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), asking to revoke the permit to build and operate Nord Stream 2 for climate protection reasons. Although the pipeline is the largest fossil fuel project in Europe, the impact on climate targets has not been verified in the previous approval process," the DUH said in a statement.

As an alternative, the group has filed a request to suspend the laying of the pipeline while verifying the project's compliance with the country's climate targets as a "compensation for the failed climate review," the statement added.

The BSH initially gave a go-ahead to the pipeline's construction in January, with the permit valid until the end of May. DUH has since repeatedly challenged the decision. After the latest request to annul the permit was rejected by the regulator in April, the group filed a lawsuit with the administrative court of Hamburg to challenge the permit, which, nevertheless, was extended in mid-May.