Do you operate a facility that requires a permit under environmental protection laws—one that constitutes an operational area or is part of an operational area—and are you planning to make changes to the facility that could lead to a major accident?

If, as a result of the major-accident-related modification,

• the appropriate safety distance to neighboring protected objects is reduced below the required level for the first time,
• the safety distance, which is already below the required level, falls even further below it, or
• triggers a significant increase in risk

a permit is required. To obtain this, you must submit an application for a modification permit and provide all necessary documentation for the assessment. The application may be submitted in writing or electronically.

However, a permit is not required if and to the extent that the obligation to maintain the appropriate safety distance is already ensured through binding requirements at the level of a spatially significant planning process or measure.