Construction machines several meters high are currently moving along the planned SuedLink power line in the Main-Spessart district. The route leads past Arnstein to Retzstadt and Zellingen, then further south. These are boring machines that examine the ground for the planned underground cables. There has long been resistance to the power line from Lower Franconia. Now a farmer from the Main-Spessart district is criticizing the actions of the drilling companies on site. Above all, he is concerned that the soil and groundwater are not polluted. After discovering oil stains on his field, he filed a complaint, hired a lawyer – and contacted this editorial office.
But who exactly is behind the drilling? This question is not that easy to answer. The company TransnetBW operates the transmission grids in Baden-Württemberg and is responsible for underground cable planning at SuedLink. In turn, TransnetBW commissioned three companies to carry out the drilling. This is announced by Christopher Göpfert, consultant for citizen participation in Bavaria. Drilling could go up to 50 meters deep. As a rule, however, there are smaller outcrops a few meters deep. The drilling in the district should be completed by the end of the year.
Farmer issued entry ban
One such drilling took place on the affected farmer’s field near Binsfeld. The farmer is currently the only one who has turned to Wolfgang Baumann with incidents related to SuedLink drilling, explains the specialist lawyer for administrative law with a law firm in Würzburg. Baumann also represents the citizens’ initiative Bergrheinfeld, which has already sued against the construction of a converter by SuedLink. The farmer also confirms that he belongs to the citizens’ initiative.
The lawyer sees several criminal offenses in the drilling company’s actions. Once by entering the area despite a ban on entry that the farmer had issued. In this special case of the power line, according to Baumann, the ban on entry should not simply have been ignored, but authorization should have been obtained from the Federal Network Agency.
In addition, the lawyer sees a compulsion. Devices were deliberately placed in such a way that the farmer could not drive into his field while drilling was taking place. And as a third criminal offense he names soil pollution. The Karlstadt police confirm that the farmer concerned has filed a criminal complaint against the company that is carrying out the drilling on site and that investigations are ongoing.
During an on-site visit with this editorial team at the beginning of August, the farmer leads over his field and shows a small oil stain that is said to have been caused by the drilling. A little further on, on the other side of the train tracks, the drill is parked on public land, a dirt road in the town of Arnstein. Nevertheless, he continues to monitor them: During the rain, the devices were not covered, he criticizes. He sees the foils and drip trays under the machine as insufficient and the machine itself too dirty. “The machine is a construction site that needs to be repaired first,” says the farmer.
On request, TransnetBW will comment on the case in Binsfeld, also on behalf of the drilling company commissioned. There was an oil leak there. “In agreement with the manager of the area, we have agreed that a soil replacement will take place on the area affected by oil. Two buckets of earth were replaced and professionally disposed of,” writes the TransnetBW speaker.
Clear guidelines with regard to environmental protection
It should be noted that, as required by law, only biodegradable (hydraulic) oils are used in the drilling equipment and oil binding agents are kept at the drilling site. On the part of TransnetBW there are very clear guidelines in relation to environmental protection, to which the commissioned companies are bound. These included foils and protective trays. “Should incidents have occurred on site, despite all caution and precautions, they were all professionally eliminated under the supervision of the responsible authorities,” continues Göpfert.
Any damage caused, including through intervention before the actual harvest, would be fully repaired or replaced by TransnetBW or SuedLink. They try to keep the intervention in agricultural areas as low as possible. For this purpose, before and after the measures, there is a preservation of evidence and back-up evidence of the areas. All drilling companies had the necessary certificates and technical expertise to be able to carry out work on site on behalf of SuedLink. According to the company, this includes the machinery and the drilling crews.
A contamination of the ground water is excluded
The Main-Spessart district office is aware of two cases of oil contamination. About three to a maximum of five liters of gear oil leaked from a drill. The leaked oil was caught in a drip tray under the device. There was also a foil under the tub. A few drops would have been distributed by the wind on the ground and slightly contaminated the subsoil. The water management office had arranged for the contaminated soil to be picked up and disposed of.
The earth material was temporarily stored in sealed plastic buckets – it was only disposed of when a minimum amount had been collected. “The companies were also instructed to maintain and repair the drilling rigs,” writes the district office. According to the current state of knowledge, there was no significant contamination of the soil; contamination of the groundwater is ruled out, according to the authority.
Franz-Josef Sauer, Mayor of Arnstein, was also informed about possible oil contamination. “We looked into that right away, because part of the work is being carried out in our water protection area,” he says. “For reasons of care, we asked for the contact details of the executing company and had a conversation.” They also contacted TransnetBW, asking them to check for themselves. Every property owner and thus also the city of Arnstein has been informed in detail about the investigations, the mayor explains.
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