The state associations of BUND and NABU today filed a lawsuit against the decision of the Lower Saxony Environment Minister regarding the KONRAD nuclear waste storage facility. In September, Minister Meyer rejected the application of the two environmental associations to revoke or withdraw the license for the Konrad mine.

Susanne Gerstner, Chairwoman of BUND Lower Saxony: "With our application, based on scientific and legal expertise, we have proven that the Konrad mine does not meet the requirements for a final repository for radioactive waste. It is regrettable that the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment has not followed up on this and that we have been forced to take this step. Placing radioactive waste in an old iron ore mine without guaranteeing retrievability or reversibility and without precise knowledge of the geological conditions is irresponsible towards future generations. That is why we must now try to bring about the abandonment of this project in court."

Petra Wassmann, KONRAD representative of the NABU regional association of Lower Saxony: "The planning approval decision was issued at the time on the basis of completely inadequate data. There is no long-term certainty here. In addition, new facts have subsequently arisen that justify a revocation. The KONRAD mine is a relic of the nuclear waste policy of the last century and does not meet today's requirements for safe storage. We must prevent this completely outdated project from being retained for purely political reasons. That is why we are taking this step now."

Frank Klingebiel, Mayor of Salzgitter, speaking on behalf of the Alliance against KONRAD Shaft, which is supported by IG Metall Salzgitter-Peine, Landvolk Braunschweiger Land, the KONRAD Shaft Working Group and the City of Salzgitter, said: "We would have liked to have seen a more courageous decision from the Minister. It is unacceptable that a dangerous, old project is being held on to with open eyes, just so that the permanent storage of radioactive waste is not left completely bare. We are therefore all the more pleased that we are pulling together as an alliance and with the environmental associations and will do everything in our power to make the lawsuit a success."