On the first day of the meeting, the Turquoise-Green coalition agreed on part of its announced package for the accelerated expansion of renewables: the Environmental Impact Assessment amendment, which was last suspended, has been adopted. Details will be presented at a press conference tomorrow morning.
APA and the Ö1 “Morgenjournal” learned from government circles on Wednesday that an agreement has been reached on the EIA amendment. This should make the processes for large energy transition projects such as wind farms even faster in the future, it says. In the future, among other things, no double checks may take place in the procedures. For example, if the landscape has already been checked when designating areas, then a new check in the approval process is not necessary. This is to prevent unnecessary checks and to save time.
Significantly shorter procedures as a goal
In addition, the procedures must be set up in such a way that it is clear from the outset to all parties involved which points will be dealt with and when. With the innovations, the lead time of the procedure, certainly for the economy, must be considerably shortened in order to realize infrastructure projects that contribute to the energy transition more quickly.
The amendment was already under consideration and could soon be adopted in parliament after the government decision, because in this case, according to the government, a simple majority is sufficient. Originally, the resolution of the amendment in Parliament was already planned for last autumn.
Tightening of anti-corruption laws
The EIA amendment is intended to be part of a larger energy security package that the coalition is negotiating during its withdrawal from Mauerbach, Lower Austria. What is also certain is that the fight against corruption will be further tightened. Until the very end it was uncertain whether considerations to motivate people to work longer would be discussed during the exam.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
