Resistance to gas drilling – salzburg.ORF.at
politics
In the Flachgau community of Berndorf, massive resistance to gas drilling has developed on the Mangelberg. A citizens’ initiative in Berndorf protested ten years ago against a natural gas storage facility on the Mangelberg, at that time with success.
The gas storage group RAG-Werk in Berndorf (Flachgau) now has three wells again. The community and citizens now fear that a new attempt will be made for a natural gas storage facility.
Climate protection as an argument
The Berndorfer ÖVP mayor Johann Stemesberger and citizen initiative chairman Herbert Maurer list every conceivable argument against further drilling on the Mangelberg in Berndorf. Much is at stake, nature, water reserves, the landscape, quality of life and above all climate protection.
Because the regional association Salzburger Seenland, to which Berndorf belongs, has set itself the goal of getting out of fossil fuels comprehensively. And all the plans of the federal and state governments are also going in this direction, said citizen initiative chairman Herbert Maurer.
Energy storage company denied
Mayor Stemesberger added that gas production or gas storage facilities are no longer in keeping with the times. RAG-Austria AG, Austria’s largest energy storage company, denied making a new attempt at a gas storage facility in Berndorf. This is about three production wells, that is, gas is to be extracted. But the Berndorfer also want to prevent that at all costs.