Environment NGO stops expansion of Romania’s largest coal mine

A Bucharest court blocked the expansion of Rosia de Amaradia, the largest coal mine in Romania located in Gorj county (and operated by coal and power group CE Oltenia), following a legal challenge to the mine's environmental permit lodged by Bankwatch Romania, the environmental organisation announced.

In 2016, Complexul Energetic Oltenia (CEO), the largest energy company in Romania, sought to expand the existing 1457-hectare hard coal mine at Rosia by a further 280 hectares, of which 235 were covered by forests that would have been cut off.

Bankwatch went to court against this project in 2017 arguing that the environmental permit for the expansion was granted without the consultation of the most affected locals and that the cumulative environmental impact of the eight mines in the area had not been assessed.

Moreover, the expanded mine would be located only 10 kilometers away from a Natura 2000 site (Coridorul Jiului), which made it likely that endangered species would be negatively impacted by the exploitation.

(Photo: Pixabay)