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Balancing Conflicting Interests - Natural Environmental Values in the Permitting Process for Quarries

Hamburger, Theresa LU (2012) JURM02 20122
Department of Law
Abstract
This thesis investigates what weight the Land and Environmental Court of Appeal (MMÖD) has given aspects of natural protection, in comparison to conflicting interests for exploitation of natural resources, in assessments of permitting processes of quarries. For this purpose, the study is limited to relevant case law in the 21st century.

Natural resources are often preserved and embedded in environments worthy of protection, and the Environmental Code (1998:808) appears to have an ambiguous objective in regards to quarries. It aims to protect and preserve natural environmental values as well as to protect the deposits from significant hinders preventing the exploitation of the natural resources. For this purpose, the Code provides... (More)
This thesis investigates what weight the Land and Environmental Court of Appeal (MMÖD) has given aspects of natural protection, in comparison to conflicting interests for exploitation of natural resources, in assessments of permitting processes of quarries. For this purpose, the study is limited to relevant case law in the 21st century.

Natural resources are often preserved and embedded in environments worthy of protection, and the Environmental Code (1998:808) appears to have an ambiguous objective in regards to quarries. It aims to protect and preserve natural environmental values as well as to protect the deposits from significant hinders preventing the exploitation of the natural resources. For this purpose, the Code provides balancing rules for the courts to apply in cases with conflicting interests. The location is of great importance and must be suitable where the activity can be conducted with a minimum damage or detriment to the nature.

In a majority of the eight relevant cases, the MMÖD concluded that the interest for the material overweighed the interest for nature conservation, as the adverse effects on the area was expected to be within acceptable limits. Only two permits were rejected. Circumstances to why the interest for nature conservation was given more weight appears to have been with support of a question mark. Both rejections were made due to the investigations of alternative locations were considered to be insufficient, and thus the MMÖD were unable to assess the suitability of the locations. On the other hand, the application of protective and precautionary measures lessens the weight of the environmental interest, as the measures are means to reduce the otherwise expected adverse effects.

The overall outcome is not surprising. The desired zones for the quarries have, in general, not been located in areas under special environmental protection, but rather adjoined protected sites of which the activities were assumed to have a significant adverse effect. One should keep in mind that a public economics perspective permeates the legislation and the exploitation of natural resources is needed for a better living standard in society. The MMÖD appears to have strived to satisfy the ambiguous objective of the Code. As the quarry often is only expected to affect a small area, the granting of a permit, within the legal frame, can satisfy both interests, although the environmental protection will be somewhat limited. However, I question the accuracy of the permits at Bunge Stucks and Bunge Ducker, as the quarries were expected to cause significant adverse effect on the adjoining Natura 2000 sites. According to EU law, permits cannot be granted if there are any reasonable scientific doubts that the activity induces significant adverse effects to the site. In the three Bunge assessments, uncertainties remained in regard to effects on the sensitive hydrologic system with unknown consequences to the sites. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Denna uppsats undersöker vilken tyngd Mark- och miljööverdomstolen (MMÖD) har gett naturvårdsintresset ur ett miljöskyddsperspektiv, i förhållande till motstående intresse för exploatering av naturresurser, i tillståndsprövningar för täktverksamheter. Med anledning av syftet så är studien begränsad till att beakta relevant rättspraxis under 2000-talet.

Naturresurser är ofta bevarade och lagrade i skyddsvärda naturmiljöer och miljöbalken (1998:808) har ett tvetydigt syfte i förhållande till täktverksamheter; nämligen att bevara och skydda naturvärden, samtidigt som den syftar till att skydda fyndigheter från att påtagligt försvåra utvinningen av dessa. Miljöbalken tillhandahåller domstolarna avvägningsregler då motstående intressen står... (More)
Denna uppsats undersöker vilken tyngd Mark- och miljööverdomstolen (MMÖD) har gett naturvårdsintresset ur ett miljöskyddsperspektiv, i förhållande till motstående intresse för exploatering av naturresurser, i tillståndsprövningar för täktverksamheter. Med anledning av syftet så är studien begränsad till att beakta relevant rättspraxis under 2000-talet.

Naturresurser är ofta bevarade och lagrade i skyddsvärda naturmiljöer och miljöbalken (1998:808) har ett tvetydigt syfte i förhållande till täktverksamheter; nämligen att bevara och skydda naturvärden, samtidigt som den syftar till att skydda fyndigheter från att påtagligt försvåra utvinningen av dessa. Miljöbalken tillhandahåller domstolarna avvägningsregler då motstående intressen står på spel. Platsen för verksamheten är av stor betydelse och en lämplig plats där ändamålet kan uppnås med minsta intrång och olägenhet för miljön ska väljas.

I de flesta av de berörda fallen har MMÖD konstaterat att utvinningsintresset överväger intresset av bevarandet av naturvärden eftersom de negativa effekterna på området förväntades att vara inom ramen för vad som kan accepteras. Endast i två av fallen avvisades tillstånden. Omständigheter till varför naturvårdsintresset har fått större vikt tycks vara med stöd av outredda frågetecken. I båda fallen tilläts inte täktverksamheterna på grund av otillräckliga utredningar av alternativa platser vilket ledde till att MMÖD inte hade möjlighet att ta ställning till platsernas lämplighet. Å andra sidan pekar utredningen på att tyngden för naturvårdsintresset har fått mindre vikt vid tillämpningen av skydds- och försiktighetsåtgärder, eftersom dessa minskar de negativa miljöeffekter som annars skulle uppstå.

Resultatet i sig är inte förvånande. De önskade platserna för täkterna har generellt inte varit inom skyddade områden, utan har snarare angränsat till sådana områden där påtaglig skada har befarats inträffa till följd av verksamheten. Det är viktigt för läsaren att ha i åtanke att lagstiftningen genomsyras av ett samhällsintresse och att utvinningen av naturresurser bidrar till en bättre levnadsstandard i samhället. MMÖD tycks sträva efter att tillgodose miljöbalkens båda mål. Eftersom det ofta endast är begränsade områden som befaras ta skada, kan detta ske genom att tillåta täktverksamheter inom ramen för lagen, även om det innebär på bekostnad av naturvårdsintresset. Däremot ifrågasätter jag riktigheten i tillåtligheten av täktverksamheter på Bunge Stucks och Bunge Ducker, eftersom dessa befarades medföra påtaglig skada på de angränsande Natura 2000 områdena. Enligt EU-lagstiftningen får inte tillstånd beviljas om det finns rimliga tvivel att verksamheten kan medföra påtaglig skada på området. I de tre Bunge-fallen kvarstod osäkerhet kring täkternas effekter på det känsliga hydrologiska systemet med okända följder därav. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Hamburger, Theresa LU
supervisor
organization
course
JURM02 20122
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
Förvaltningsrätt, Administrative Law, Miljörätt, Environmental Law, Tillståndsprövning, Permitting Process, Täktverksamheter, Quarries, Naturhänsyn, Environmental Consideration
language
English
id
3359560
date added to LUP
2013-01-31 12:44:11
date last changed
2013-01-31 12:44:11
@misc{3359560,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates what weight the Land and Environmental Court of Appeal (MMÖD) has given aspects of natural protection, in comparison to conflicting interests for exploitation of natural resources, in assessments of permitting processes of quarries. For this purpose, the study is limited to relevant case law in the 21st century.
 
Natural resources are often preserved and embedded in environments worthy of protection, and the Environmental Code (1998:808) appears to have an ambiguous objective in regards to quarries. It aims to protect and preserve natural environmental values as well as to protect the deposits from significant hinders preventing the exploitation of the natural resources. For this purpose, the Code provides balancing rules for the courts to apply in cases with conflicting interests. The location is of great importance and must be suitable where the activity can be conducted with a minimum damage or detriment to the nature. 

In a majority of the eight relevant cases, the MMÖD concluded that the interest for the material overweighed the interest for nature conservation, as the adverse effects on the area was expected to be within acceptable limits. Only two permits were rejected. Circumstances to why the interest for nature conservation was given more weight appears to have been with support of a question mark. Both rejections were made due to the investigations of alternative locations were considered to be insufficient, and thus the MMÖD were unable to assess the suitability of the locations. On the other hand, the application of protective and precautionary measures lessens the weight of the environmental interest, as the measures are means to reduce the otherwise expected adverse effects.

The overall outcome is not surprising. The desired zones for the quarries have, in general, not been located in areas under special environmental protection, but rather adjoined protected sites of which the activities were assumed to have a significant adverse effect. One should keep in mind that a public economics perspective permeates the legislation and the exploitation of natural resources is needed for a better living standard in society. The MMÖD appears to have strived to satisfy the ambiguous objective of the Code. As the quarry often is only expected to affect a small area, the granting of a permit, within the legal frame, can satisfy both interests, although the environmental protection will be somewhat limited. However, I question the accuracy of the permits at Bunge Stucks and Bunge Ducker, as the quarries were expected to cause significant adverse effect on the adjoining Natura 2000 sites. According to EU law, permits cannot be granted if there are any reasonable scientific doubts that the activity induces significant adverse effects to the site. In the three Bunge assessments, uncertainties remained in regard to effects on the sensitive hydrologic system with unknown consequences to the sites.}},
  author       = {{Hamburger, Theresa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Balancing Conflicting Interests - Natural Environmental Values in the Permitting Process for Quarries}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}