Sweden quarry decision appealed
The Swedish Environment Protection Agency and the Gotland county council are appealing a court ruling allowing the Nordkalk company to mine limestone in a protected area.
The land and environment court gave the go-ahead for the quarry in Bunge in early June, after the Swedish Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s previous approval and sent the case back for reconsideration. That followed the occupation of the site by environmentalists.
In appealing the latest approval the two agencies say the ruling is not consistent with both EU and Swedish law, arguing that the company has failed to demonstrate how the quarrying would affect the water in three nearby EU protected areas.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Environmental review for Nunavut, Canada mining project, CBC News
Finland: Finland’s environment minister backs more mining in Lapland, Yle News
Greenland: Analysis: Implications of Greenland’s decision to allow uranium mining, Blog by Mia Bennett
Norway: Sustainable future for Arctic people?, from Deutsche Welle’s Iceblogger
Russia: Russian-Backed Mining Firm Bound for Yukon, Canada, CBC News
Sweden: Mines in Gotland, Sweden given the go-ahead, Radio Sweden
United States: Oregon mining company says it can build Arctic port for Alaska, Alaska Dispatch
