Fellhornbahn in Oberstdorf Everything wanted to update the outdated chairlift at their ski area on the same route. This pushed conservation activists to the barricades. As confirmed by the Bavarian Ministry of Construction, this project is the first project that can be implemented without an environmental impact analysis.
The background is the third Bavarian Modernization Law, which came into force in the summer. The state government wants to do this CSU and the Free Voters pushed for de-bureaucratization in Bavaria. Since this law went into effect, other requirements have been put in place, requiring environmental impact assessments for snowmaking systems, ski slopes and cable cars.
The Ministry of Construction stated that even after changes to the law, nature and environmental protection aspects remain essentially part of the construction and operational permit process. In Fellhorn’s case, the innovation specifically meant: Since the planned new six-seater chairlift was supposed to be only 1,430 meters long and therefore no longer than 1,500 meters, an environmental impact analysis was no longer necessary.
“The Fall of Man in the Mountains”
This is a disaster for opposition parties and nature conservation associations. They are united by concerns that they will no longer be adequately involved in nature conservation issues in the future. In a statement, ÖDP Bavaria spoke of the first “fall from grace in the mountains”, Bavaria Green in a statement from “CSU Concrete”. The German Alpine Association (DAV) also criticized the cable car renewal.
Federal government Nature conservation (BN) said his concerns had been proven. In Fellhorn, what was feared happened for the first time after the modernization law was enacted, explained BN state representative Martin Geilhufe.
The Federal Nature Conservation Association and the State Association for the Conservation of Birds and Nature (LBV) also criticized the fact that part of the chairlifts are located in nature reserves, FFH areas and European bird sanctuaries – and in the future will have to transport six people at a time, instead of the current two. The number of winter sports fans who can ride the new cable car will triple.
“Emotional reaction”
Johannes Krieg, managing director of Fellhornbahn GmbH, spoke of an “emotional reaction”. The new train can carry 2,900 people up the hill per hour, compared to 1,200 previously. “But at the same time we are dismantling the neighboring railway line without replacing it. Currently we can transport 3,600 people per hour in this area. If combined with the short rope lift, the number of passengers will be the same after the new building is built,” said Krieg.
Since concrete construction planning began in 2023, he has been in contact with local and district environmental association groups and he wants to maintain these contacts. “Environmental impact analysis is still mandatory during the entire planning period,” Krieg said. He respects environmental protection and sees no long-term negative impact on Scheidtobel, where the event occurred.
26 specialist departments check approval
The Oberallgäu district office, as the approving authority, announced that the application for the mountain railway line will be examined by 26 specialist departments – including nature and environmental protection aspects. The change in law does not change anything regarding the technicalities of the examination. This continues to be carried out as carefully as before, including at the sub-district office.
Oberallgäu district administrator Indra Baier-Müller (Free Voter) considers nature conservation associations’ fears that they will be excluded in the future as unfounded. The Association still has the right to inspect documents and can obtain information at relevant meetings and committees. The only difference is that authorities have so far been active in providing information, Baier-Müller said. “In the future, information gathering will become more of a personal responsibility.”
District administrators see “fundamental criticism that is ideologically motivated”
Baier-Müller believes that the restrictions on environmental impact assessments supported by her party colleagues at the state level are justified: “Too often associations do not use their right to participate as an instrument of factual expertise, but abuse it for fundamental, ideologically motivated criticism – and thus miss the true purpose of the regulations.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251114-930-291254/1
