The planning approval procedure involves the public and the authorities concerned in deciding on the specific design of the expansion measures for a specific area. Among other things, the specific route of the pipeline and the specific technical design are determined.

The greatest possible transparency is required in the planning approval process. You can get involved as a representative of public interests and associations, but also as a member of the public.

You have three opportunities to formally participate in the planning approval process:

• The first important opportunity is the public application conference. This is held by the Federal Network Agency after it has received the application for planning approval. The project sponsors prepare the application beforehand. At the conference, the Federal Network Agency collects information on the regional circumstances. Anyone who also has alternatives to the proposed route can present these at the application conference. The Federal Network Agency also accepts information on environmental and spatial compatibility. From this, it forms a homework booklet for the project developers, the so-called investigation framework.
• The next opportunity for participation is an official and public consultation. This takes place after the project developer has completed its investigations. The Federal Network Agency publishes information on the interpretation
  • on its website
  • and in the local daily newspapers.
• You can submit comments as an affected private individual, but also as a public authority. Public interest bodies are, for example, municipal authorities.
• Once the Federal Network Agency has received and reviewed all comments, it organizes a hearing. This is the third and final opportunity to participate in the planning approval process. At this meeting, it discusses the comments submitted in good time with the project developer, the public interest bodies and those who submitted them. In contrast to the application conference, you can only participate in this meeting if you have submitted a statement.
• The result of the planning approval is the final decision on the project, taking into account and weighing up all
  • public interests (nature conservation, landscape protection, municipal planning, cultural monuments and so on)
  • and private interests (property, health).

If the Federal Network Agency is of the opinion that the planned project fulfills all legal requirements after thorough examination and consideration of all affected interests, it issues the planning approval decision.