No regression in Alpine protection

An amendment from the ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS parliamentary group to the Third Bavarian Modernization Act was rejected in a roll-call vote. The amendment proposes, among other things, to delete paragraphs 9 to 11 amending the Water Act, the Bavarian Nature Conservation Act and the Bavarian Railway and Cable Car Act from the state government's original draft law. The reasons for the requested changes are the protection of the Bavarian Alps and low mountain ranges. The state government's planned downgrading or deletion of the obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) when expanding cable cars, ski slopes and reservoirs endangers nature, the water balance and the climate. The Greens emphasize the EIA as a central instrument for forward-looking, environmentally friendly planning and want to ensure that construction projects in sensitive mountain regions are, at least as before, examined for their effects and, if necessary, restricted or prohibited. The amendment was rejected by 39 votes in favor to 127 against, with no abstentions.