Repairs should soon begin on the much discussed list of 1,500 homes damaged by natural gas extraction-induced earthquakes, and an additional 15,000 addresses will be inspected.
Translation by Traci White
After a protracted political back and forth throughout 2018, a formal plan for repairing homes damaged by natural gas extraction-induced quakes has been finalised.
The National Coordinator Groningen formally submitted the new plans to the earthquake-prone municipalities, the province of Groningen and the national government on Friday. Dagblad van het Noordenreports that 1,500 homes which had previously been identified as structurally unsound would be repaired, and 15,000 addresses will be evaluated.
The impacted municipalities and local steering groups will have more say under the newly formulated plans. The National Coordinator Groningen is asserting that anyone who lives in the natural gas extraction area who feels unsafe in their home is entitled to an inspection.
Tough talks
RTV Noord reports that the plans have been a long time coming. Economic minister Eric Wiebes had stated that they should be formalised by the end of the summer, but it ultimately took until November. Talks broke down in late May when local parties called for reinforcement operations to be carried out while the new protocol was being sorted out, but Wiebes wanted to wait until the new procedure was finalised, which led northern municipalities to withdraw from the ongoing negotiations. Hans Alders left his position as the National Coordinator Groningen as a result of the talks deteriorating.
