The area in the St. Georgen district where the logistics center is to be built was “completely flooded” in mid-September, Drexler recalled. Green city councilor Christina Engel-Unterberger spoke out against the planned sealing of 17 hectares of farmland. One of the other points of criticism she cited was the calculated traffic load of an additional 1,000 truck and 600 car trips per day.
Planned flood protection designed for a 100-year event. According to the information, the properties are located in the flood drainage area of a 100- and 30-year event (HQ100 or HQ30) as well as in the groundwater conservation area. According to Drexler, three requirements must be met before construction can begin: flood protection, transport connections and technical infrastructure. The project became public in 2022. The purchase agreement was signed on December 23, 2023 and, according to lawyer Wolfram Schachinger, contains clauses that give Rewe the right to withdraw from the acquisition if essential approvals are not granted.
The city of St. Pölten has submitted a flood protection project that consists of hollows and is intended to compensate for the loss of retention area by sealing arable land, explained hydrologist Jürgen Komma. The planned system is designed to withstand a 100-year flood; if the amount of precipitation exceeds this, flooding of the company premises and enormous damage are to be expected.
Lawyer locates “legal scandals”According to a decision from the state of Lower Austria, no environmental impact assessment (EIA) needs to be carried out for flood protection. After a complaint from the citizens’ initiative together with environmental organizations, the Federal Administrative Court confirmed this view. The reason for this was that no functional connection between the flood protection project and the logistics center was proven, explained lawyer Schachinger. The camp has not yet been submitted for official approval. According to Drexler, the water law process for flood protection is currently underway.
Schachinger saw “two legal scandals”: On the one hand, around the decision that the camp was not subject to EIA, and on the other hand, that HQ100 areas were not repurposed from building land to grassland. This is provided for by law if sufficient protective measures have not been taken within five years of the flood risk becoming known.
Rewe: The basic requirement for implementation is “comprehensive flood protection.” According to Engel-Unterberger, this deadline would have expired around 2011, and her party filed a supervisory complaint at the end of May 2023. The answer stated that, among other things, “already acquired rights of third parties” had been taken into account. Engel-Unterberger described it as “highly problematic” that the sale of the property and the submission of the flood protection project only took place in December 2023 – during the ongoing appeal process – and are now being used as an argument against rezoning. The Green Party considered it a “partial success” that HQ100 and HQ30 areas for which no flood protection project was submitted must be repurposed.
The petition was started on September 18th, shortly after the flood. Signatures will be collected by the end of the year and handed over personally to the responsible decision-makers from the state, city and Rewe, explained Drexler.
In response to an APA request, Rewe said: “The focus of logistical decisions is on secure local supplies for the Austrian population. The basic prerequisite for possible implementation is “comprehensive flood protection,” the written statement said: “Responsibility for this lies with the administrative authorities.”
Initiative in St. Pölten
St. Pölten
How can the city balance the concerns of local residents and farmers with the need for economic development through projects like the logistics center?
1. As professionals in the field of environmental sustainability and urban planning, what are your thoughts on the St. Georgen district logistics center controversy that involves a sealed farmland and potential flood risks? How do you think this project aligns with the city’s long-term goals for flood protection and preservation of agricultural land?
2. Christina Engel-Unterberger, the Green city councilor, has raised concerns about the additional traffic load and the displacement of farmers due to the construction of the logistics center. Do you think these concerns are valid, and how can the city address them while still pushing forward with the project?
3. The decision not to conduct an environmental impact assessment for the flood protection project has been met with criticism. As experts in environmental law, can you explain the legal implications of this decision and how it might impact the future of similar projects in the region?
4. Rewe has stated that the basic requirement for implementing the logistics center is comprehensive flood protection. In your opinion, what role should the private sector play in ensuring the resilience of communities facing flood risks, and how can they work collaboratively with local governments to achieve this goal?
5. Given the public backlash against the project, what steps should the city take to engage with community members and stakeholders to build trust and support for the proposal? Are there alternative approaches to balance economic development and environmental protection that could be explored?
