“Exemptions” from the Management Objectives for Water Bodies Associated with Lignite Mining in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Pursuant to the EC Water Framework Directive

Abstract

Currently, approximately 90 to 100 million tons of lignite are extracted every year up to a maximum depth of about 450 m in the active open-pit mines Garzweiler, Hambach, and Inden which are located in the tri-city area of Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Aachen. Most of the extracted lignite is converted into electricity in the power plants Niederaußem, Neurath, Frimmersdorf, Weisweiler, and Goldenbergwerk. Former open-pit mines in the western and/or eastern part of the Rhenish lignite mining district (the open-pit mines Zukunft, Frechen, Bergheim, and Fortuna-Garsdorf) as well as in the district’s southern part (Ville) were recultivated and, predominantly, rehabilitated. The service lives of these open-pit mines will continue until 2030 for Inden and until 2045 for Garzweiler and Hambach.