Province Groningen: Permit or exemption for provincial waterway structures
A business must obtain prior authorisation if it intends to carry out activities that adversely affect the environment. Examples are wind farms, sewage treatment, waste management and storage, soil or spoil dredging and for geothermal generation. The province then carries out a limited environmental assessment. If approved, you receive a simple environmental permit, without prescriptions.
You should consult with the province. Approval for the OBM is requested via Omgevingsloket online. You can carry out the permit check in the loket. You will then immediately see whether you need a permit, need to make a report or neither.
ApplyThe environmental assessment applies if: 1. an EIA is required (EIA = environmental impact assessment) and for: wind farms, large sewage treatment plants, breweries, livestock farms; 2. the province must assess whether the activity fits local conditions, such as: waste activities – waste is managed effectively, installing closed geothermal energy systems (for geothermal generation) in what are called interferentiegebieden (interference areas), where these systems can interfere with one another, cement and concrete plants, fermentation of animal manure.
For the EIA: the omgevingsvergunning beperkte milieutoets – OBM (environmental permit: limited environmental impact assessment) will be issued only if the EIA assessment shows that no subsequent EIA is required. The province can then issue you with an OBM, for which you should follow the normal procedure. Does an EIA have to be drawn up? You can then apply for an ordinary environmental permit. To do so, you should follow the extended procedure.