The American electric car manufacturer Tesla will build its factory in grünheide, near Berlin, partly on piles – the triggers of a dispute. In a year where electric cars are to be produced. The complete environmental approval for the factory by the Land of Brandenburg is still missing, but Tesla can build at your own risk, for an early approval of the Foundation and the building shell. The site is located partly in a drinking water protection area.
In the first application for the construction of Tesla has no piles planned. In a modified Version, which was released at the beginning of July, writes the company: “In some areas (press shop, and foundry) are established the foundations using precast driven piles (…), to be able to load in the Foundation soil can be derived.” At the early beginning of the Measure, not to wait until the final approval, not Tesla, requested yet.
Brandenburg takes the planned use of piles for a portion of the factory under the magnifying glass: “we’ll check on how everything in the amended documents,” said the spokesperson of the Ministry of the environment, Frauke tent, in Potsdam.
Worried about the water budget
The conservationist Julia Neigel, who has written five petitions for a part of the “citizens’ initiative against Gigafactory green Heath”, feared the consequences for the drinking water. “If the area is sealed, it is able to drain away rain water more verse and no drinking water will come in,” said Neigel, which was as a singer known. The salt water, the store there in the depths, might rise to the top, which have negative consequences for the drinking water. The Region suffering already under water scarcity. Neigel calls for a Committee of inquiry in the Parliament and a halt to construction.
Tesla does not share the concerns. Pile foundations are a common and normal process – especially here in the Region, say industry insiders. Also for drinking water protection, pile-Driving had areas common. There are standards and regulations that provide a safe use and installation of piles. The proposed steps would have to be approved by the authorities.
