Environmental association against motorboats on other Leipzig lakes

The Leipzig environmental protection association Ökolöwe has criticized plans to open up further lakes in the Leipzig region to motorboats. The background to this is an ongoing hearing procedure by the Saxony State Directorate on boat traffic on Lake Markkleeberg and Lake Störmthal. "It is unacceptable for the Free State to open up one lake after another to motorboats. People are looking for peace and quiet and natural recreation on the lakes - not pollution from motorboat noise. And nature also needs its space," said Božena Nawka, environmental policy spokesperson for the association.

The State Directorate of Saxony had already permanently opened Lake Cospuden south of Leipzig to shipping by general decree. This was supposed to apply to the northern part of the lake from the first of February. However, the Ökolöwe association lodged an objection. The release has therefore been delayed until this has been processed, the state directorate told the German Press Agency. Lake Cospuden is around 400 hectares in size and is very popular with bathers. However, according to the authority, there are already 135 individual permits for the use of motorized boats on the lake.

Authority: Boat traffic is a "fundamental decision" of the state

In the case of Lakes Markkleeberg and Störmthal, the environmentalists from Ökolöwe also see important habitats at risk and base their opinion on expert reports. The post-mining waters are an important resting and wintering area for several strictly protected bird species. Negative effects on the environment cannot be ruled out beyond doubt.

On request, the Saxon State Directorate referred to the Saxon Water Act: the state legislature had "made the basic decision that open-cast mining lakes are navigable", provided they have been completed. It is currently not possible to reliably estimate when the other two lakes will actually be opened to shipping. Statements and the actual decision by the authorities are still pending. However, as in the case of the currently disputed Lake Cospuden, it can be assumed "that there will be exclusion zones due to nature conservation concerns."

The southern tip of Lake Cospuden remains off-limits to boats for nature conservation reasons. In addition to sailing boats and paddlers, there is already a passenger ship on all three lakes in question.