– We have enormous natural assets that must be taken care of, says Hvaler mayor Mona Vauger (Ap). This week, the State Administrator in Oslo and Viken has stated that Hvaler municipality is free to rule over its own archipelago. Hvaler mayor Mona Vauger believes that dredging the entrance to Borg harbor is necessary. At the same time, she is clear that the masses must be placed on land – not in water. Photo: Heidi Gomnæs / news – The state administrator has concluded that the municipality’s decision to impose a temporary ban on marine landfills on our land is upheld, says Vauger. Hvaler is one of the country’s largest cottage municipalities with over 4,300 holiday properties. Should dump contaminated masses at the national park, the Farleden to Borg harbor in Fredrikstad is becoming increasingly shallow. The water that flows down Glomma carries with it mud and sludge that ends up at the entrance to the very busy port. The Norwegian Coastal Administration has been given permission to remove 700,000 cubic meters of the masses that have accumulated during the approach. In November last year, the Norwegian Coastal Administration carried out a test dredging at the entrance to Borg harbour. Photo: Stein Ove Korneliussen / news In the National Transport Plan for 2022–2033, it is estimated that the dredging project will cost NOK 256 million. Last year, the government allocated NOK 50 million for the dredging. According to the plan, more than half of the masses were to be placed in two marine landfills on the seabed in the Outer Oslofjord. – Now we are in a situation where we have no landfill, says project manager at the Coastal Agency Martin Fransson. The Norwegian Coastal Administration has previously received permission to dump mud masses at Svaleskjær and Møkkalasset in Hvaler municipality. Fredriksstad Blad mentioned the state administrator’s decision first. Critical state The landfills the Coastal Administration was supposed to use are located a few kilometers away from the Ytre Hvaler National Park. Large parts of the national park are under water. Among other things, there is the world’s largest inner reef coral reef. These corals have been extracted from the Tisler coral reef located in the Ytre Hvaler National Park. Swedish researchers have taken out the corals to research them. Photo: Lars Håkon Pedersen / news The condition of the Oslofjord is critical. In March at the latest, scientists sounded the alarm, and believed that the environment in the fjord had reached a critical point. Cod and mussels are gone in several places. On the seabed, green sea plants are suffocated by slimy algae. Marine biologist Pia Ve Dahlen fears the planned dredging will worsen the Hvalerskjærgården’s condition. Marine biologist Pia Ve Dahlen. Photo: Stein Ove Korneliussen / news At the same time, she is happy that the state administrator has now put a temporary stop to the mass dumping. – This is very good news, and sends an important signal that the marine areas are actually being taken seriously. In practice, it may not mean that much for this matter, because the mud will probably be dumped on the Fredrikstad side anyway. Expect delay In November last year, Hvaler municipality adopted a temporary ban on the sea landfills they have previously made available. The Coastal Agency believed the municipality’s decision was invalid. They therefore complained about it to the state administrator. This week, the state administrator concluded that Hvaler municipality’s decision is valid. Martin Fransson in the Coastal Agency is surprised by this. They planned to start dredging in the autumn. Project manager at the Coastal Administration Martin Fransson. The picture was taken during the test dredging that was carried out last autumn. Photo: Stein Ove Korneliussen / news – I think it will be difficult to achieve, but the extent of any delays is too early to say anything about now. – Could a consequence of this be that you are not allowed to carry out the dredging? – It is far too early to say anything about. Now we will look at what opportunities we in the Coastal Administration have to take the national responsibility we have for the fairway into Borg harbour.
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Will stop dumping of polluted masses at the national park on Hvaler – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
