In the planning approval procedure, the public and the authorities concerned are involved in deciding on the specific, area-specific design of the expansion measures. Among other things, the actual route of the pipeline and the specific technical design are determined.

The planning approval process must be as transparent as possible. You can participate as a public interest group or association, 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 plan approval. The project developers prepare the application beforehand. At the conference, the Federal Network Agency gathers information on regional conditions. Anyone who also has alternatives to the proposed route can present them at the application conference. The Federal Network Agency also receives comments on environmental and spatial compatibility. From this, it prepares a homework booklet for the project developers, the so-called investigation framework.
• The next opportunity for participation is for the authorities and the public to get involved. This takes place after the 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 person, but also as a public interest group. Public interest groups are, for example, municipal authorities.
• After the Federal Network Agency has received and reviewed all the comments, it organizes a hearing. This is the third and last opportunity to participate in the planning approval process. At this meeting, it discusses the comments made in good time with the developer, the public interest groups and those who made them. In contrast to the application conference, you can only participate in this meeting if you have submitted a statement.
• The result of the plan approval is the final decision on the project, taking into account and weighing up all the
  • public concerns (nature conservation, landscape protection, municipal planning, cultural monuments and so on)
  • and private concerns (property, health).

If the Federal Network Agency is of the opinion that the planned project meets all legal requirements after a thorough examination and consideration of all the interests concerned, it issues the zoning decision.