Romania court rules against coal mine expansion

A court has blocked the expansion of Romania’s largest coal mine after environmental activists challenged the plans. 

The Bucharest court of appeal ruled against plans from the country’s largest energy company Complexul Energetic Oltenia (CEO) to expand a hard coal mine in Rosia by 280 hectares, 235 of which are forest covered. 

NGO Bankwatch had objected to the plans in 2017, arguing that an environmental permit for the expansion was granted without consulting local communities and that the cumulative environmental impact of the eight mines in the area had not been assessed.