Species protection only in the peripheral area: Tesla is allowed to clear again in Grünheide

Friday 18th December 2020

Species protection only in the peripheral area
Tesla is allowed to clear again in Grünheide

German conservationists celebrate a success against Tesla in court. The electric car maker is no longer allowed to clear forests on parts of its construction site near Berlin because small reptiles live there. The ban only applies to a peripheral area.

The car manufacturer Tesla is allowed to partially resume clearing work at its plant under construction in Grünheide near Berlin. The Higher Administrative Court Berlin-Brandenburg (OVG) said on Friday evening that an urgent legal protection application from nature conservation associations was partially successful in the second instance. However, this is only about work in peripheral areas where sand lizards hibernate. In addition, work in a narrow strip along the motorway has to be stopped.

With a view to the remaining parts of the areas earmarked for clearing, however, the complaints were unsuccessful. According to the OVG, the nature associations “could not demonstrate that these are also reptile habitats”. "The resolution of the 11th Senate of December 10, 2020, with which a provisional (complete) clearing stop was imposed, has been resolved with this decision," it said.

At the time, the court issued an interim order so that no fait accompli could be created before a decision on a complaint was made. This meant that Tesla had to stop the clearing work. It is about 83 hectares of forest.

Tesla wants to put the plant into operation in the summer

Tesla wants to start operating the plant in Grünheide near Berlin from summer next year. Initially, around 500,000 electric cars are to roll off the production lines. So far, the company has been building through individual provisional approvals because the complete environmental approval from the state of Brandenburg is still pending. Conservationists and residents fear negative consequences for the environment.

Tesla also had to stop work in the paint shop in Grünheide. The installation of the machines there may only be continued if the US group has deposited a corresponding security deposit for any dismantling costs, the State Environment Agency in Potsdam had declared on Friday. Tesla is to raise a deposit of 100 million euros.