BERLIN/BINZ (dpa-AFX) - The dispute over a terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) planned at the Rügen site is once again reaching the Bundestag. On Monday, the Petitions Committee will deal with a petition against the inclusion of Rügen in the LNG Acceleration Act (LNGG). The inclusion would classify a terminal planned there as a prioritized project and pave the way for a faster approval process. The initiators of the petition want to prevent that. Because they have collected more than 61,000 signatures for it, the committee is publicly inviting them to join. 50,000 supporters are needed for this.

The committee can pass various resolutions and refer the petition to the federal government, for example. It can also be brought to the attention of the parliamentary groups in the Bundestag. "The hearing in the German Bundestag has a great signal effect, if the parliament should deal with the inclusion of Rügen in the LNG Acceleration Act," said in advance Kai Gardeja, co-petent and tourism director of the Baltic resort of Binz. The mayor of Binz, Karsten Schneider, announced, "If the politicians continue to create facts in the LNG Acceleration Act and decide on the location of Rügen, we will take legal action against it by temporary injunction."

At the end of March, the Bundestag's Budget Committee had expressed skepticism about the Rügen LNG plans. It had released funds for planning, but not further funds for construction. Instead, the parliamentarians had called for further checks.

The LNG plans have been the subject of criticism for months. Opponents fear for the environment and tourism, which is particularly important for Rügen. They also speak of unneeded overcapacities and negative consequences for the climate due to the further development of infrastructure for fossil fuels. Since last year, Germany has been vigorously promoting the expansion of infrastructure for importing liquefied gas by ship in order to compensate for the lack of Russian energy supplies from pipelines.

Only recently, German Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) told the "Weser-Kurier" (Friday edition), "we have to hedge against risks." It was possible to replace much of the lost gas with supplies from European partners. However, out of solidarity, one must also be able to deliver to European countries. "And secondly, we can't just assume that everything will always go smoothly and that the next winter will be as mild as possible."

Against a Rügen terminal want to demonstrate on Sunday again people in Binz. For Monday, a demonstration is planned in front of the Federal Chancellery in Berlin.

Meanwhile, it remains unclear exactly how and where to proceed with LNG plans on or off Rügen's coast. The federal government had withdrawn from a site about five kilometers off Sellin after fierce opposition. Most recently, the port of Mukran has been under discussion. But the plan for a plant further out on the Baltic Sea continues to make the rounds.

It is also unclear who is to implement the project. Originally, the energy company RWE had been the service provider for the federal government, but has since announced that it will withdraw. At a meeting on the subject in Binz more than two weeks ago with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Habeck, among others, RWE was not represented, but Deutsche Regas, the company that operates the existing terminal in Lubmin, was. The company has long had plans to increase import capacity as part of a further expansion./chh/DP/mis