Rieger expansion approved without environmental impact assessment

Waste disposal company Rieger does not need an environmental impact assessment for the expansion and restructuring of its site in Neumarkt am Wallersee, Salzburg, ORF reported. The company plans to build a new logistics centre with an office building and lorry parking spaces next year.

The company’s site borders the western railway line and is directly beside Neumarkt station. In addition to the new logistics building, Rieger plans to install equipment for processing substitute fuels in an existing hall. The investment totals eight million euros.

Managing director Johann Rieger said the company had deliberately stayed below all relevant thresholds so that an environmental impact assessment would not be required.

The municipality of Neumarkt also had party status in the proceedings and asked about the effects on local residents and the station. Mayor David Egger-Kranzinger said the procedure was intended to ensure that residents were not adversely affected and that public transport and the public road were taken into account.

According to an expert assessment, the expansion would increase lorry traffic slightly to 244 trips per day, while reducing travel distances within the site. The province also concluded that the project would not have a significant impact on traffic noise.