Lithium de France Durrenbach environmental authorization request, Digi Mart USA News (Durrenbach, Bas-Rhin, France): The intercommunal council of Sauer Pechelbronn voted against the environmental permit application submitted by the company Lithium de France for exploratory drilling projects in Durrenbach on Monday, November 9.
The vote was consultative, but a clear trend has emerged: 18 council members voted against the application, 14 voted in favor, and two abstained. The result follows the position of the affected commune, whose municipal council had also voted against the project the previous week, also in a consultative capacity.
Opponents of the project, who gathered on the sidelines of the council meeting held in Gœrsdorf, described the outcome as a “first victory” and called on supporters not to relax their efforts. Marc Bastian, president of the intercommunality, said the outcome is not a setback and that the goal was to give everyone all the information so they could decide according to their conscience.
Christophe Lemaître, a municipal councillor in Walbourg, said that democracy is what matters today and that the voice of the people has been heard. Walbourg had also recently opposed the project.
Monique Meyer, mayor of Gunstett, said that an unfavorable opinion was the only possible response given the numerous reservations about the project.
The project concerns geothermal energy and lithium extraction. The final decision on whether to issue a favorable or unfavorable opinion on the file rests with the prefect of Bas-Rhin, following the review of the file and public consultation.
