Gelderland, the largest province with the largest agricultural and nitrogen task, will not be able to achieve this in time, mainly because the national government has not yet sorted things out, writes responsible MP Peter Drenth to the Provincial Council.
Gelderland will send the minister in July an overview of the (nitrogen) plans the province has been working on for years. Crucial and still-missing information from the government is needed to finalize these plans, at the earliest by the end of this year, according to Drenth. “Like an agricultural pact, a regulation for top loaders and the elaboration of routes for remaining farmers”. All these matters have not yet been settled by the Cabinet. It also requires a lot of money, according to the director, and even on this there is still no clarity.
Years of work
Gelderland has been working for years on the new arrangement of the seven regions of the province, taking into account the necessary limitation of nitrogen. Once the cabinet clarifies, the province will present the plans to municipalities, nature and agricultural organizations and their supporters, after which the Provincial Council will make a decision. The province thinks that the first measures could then be started in 2024.
Most provinces are struggling with the July 1 date, also because no province has yet a new Provincial Executive Council. Gelderland has the biggest task of all the provinces and at the same time is an important part of the solution for the Netherlands, says Drenth. Gelderland therefore wants to have “serious money”. But it is already clear that all the provinces together are asking for much more money than Minister Van der Wal has at his disposal.