Administrative questions 2022

Do you agree with us that HHNK could have been more proactive in fulfilling its promise to contact the fishing association? The association itself commissioned research into the cause of the fish mortality. Does HHNK share the conclusions of the fish lab in Wageningen and the ATI Aquaristik lab regardingthe water quality in the surrounding ditches, and what are we doingto improve it? (Frank Frowijn, November 7, 2022)

Legal proceedings have been initiated in response to salt damage at a flower bulb nursery in Zijpe. The Court of Appeal has ordered HHNK and the municipality of Schagen to pay approximately €300,000. Has HHNK lodged an appeal? How and when will the General Board be informed of such rulings? How and when will this be reflected in the financial documents, and does this comply with the rules set out in the budget management framework memorandum? (Leo Dickhoff, October 10, 2022)

When there is a drought, farmers irrigate their land with surface water or groundwater. In the latter case, they extract (clean) groundwater from deeper layers. But do they also pump it back and retain as much of the surplus water as possible? Why is the return of temporary surpluses not promoted on a large scale? Could this be promising and how can people be persuaded to do so? HHNK is the competent authority for groundwater extraction for irrigation. How does HHNK fulfill this task and how are licensed/reported extractions supervision ? (Peter Vonk, October 9, 2022)

Why did HHNK lodge an appeal with the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal of June 15, 2021 (regarding De Boer HHNK)? What are the costs? Who decided to do this? Are more disputes to be expected? How often has HHNK been the plaintiff in cassation in the past five years? Are there currently any cases pending on appeal before the Amsterdam Court of Appeal? How many cases are currently pending before the court? Is a framework of standards for lodging appeals and cassation desirable? Shouldn't cassation require the approval of the General Board? (Peter Vonk and Chris Streefkerk, September 27, 2022)

Based on the objectives and measures set out in the Climate and Energy Program, have you previously conducted research into gas reduction and/or closure of the SDI? In your opinion, are financial considerations the only factor in the decisions regarding gas reduction at the SDI? Why was gas reduction not considered earlier from a financial point of view? Did the problems in Groningen and the war in Ukraine not give cause to (urgently) look into possibilities for gas reduction at the SDI? Why or why not? Can you share the research on the 15% gas reduction with the CHI? If not, why not? (Eva Tannehill, September 20, 2022)

Fish mortality has occurred in the Visput in Andijk. Is the Visput connected to HHNK water? Did the fishing association use antibiotics? And did HHNK staff visit the Visput? (The association disputes these three points.) What is the water quality in the surrounding ditches? Did HHNK recently mow these ditches? Has this reduced the possibility that these ditches could contribute to remedying the fish mortality? Could the problem in the Visput have already spread to the surrounding ditches? How is the commitment being fulfilled that HHNK will work with the association to find a solution to the fish mortality? (Frank Frowijn, September 20, 2022)

What is the Union of Water Boards' assessment of the planning and follow-up process with regard to the guaranteed seats? Has the bill been introduced with effect from the upcoming elections? What is the outcome of the discussion between Deputy Loggen and the three dike reeves of the North Holland water boards about the representation of the Unbuilt category? How can HHNK and the province ensure that the allocation of seats for the Unbuilt and Nature Areas categories is based on recruitment from across the entire spectrum of the constituency? (Luuk Zaal, September 14, 2022)

Our website lists only the private email addresses of two members of the executive committee. Do you agree with us that this is undesirable in view of the laws and regulations? Will you ensure that all correspondence conducted via private email addresses is archived in accordance with best practice? (Arnold Langeveld, September 10, 2022)

Has HHNK authorisation for the hanging of protest flags and banners? Is HHNK—following the example of the national government, provinces, and municipalities—taking action to remove the protest flags and banners from HHNK property? If so, when? If not, why not? What risk does HHNK run if no action is taken? (Franke Hoekstra, September 7, 2022)

Tata Steel IJmuiden B.V. wants to construct an artificial dune with a core of steel slag. The steel slag may also contain highly toxic chromium-6. Our party finds this alarming. The North Holland North Environmental Service has issued a licence the Nature Conservation Act. Are you aware of this? Was HHNK asked for advice? Did HHNK submit an opinion on the draft licence? If not, why not? Is the protection of groundwater and surface water against chromium-6 a reason for you to object to the licence? (PvdA political party, July 29, 2022)

Last year, we asked questions about polluted ditch water in the De Drieban polder in Hem. Is it true that certain exceedances have shown no improvement over the past year? And can you explain this? Do farmers and/or growers in this area use the Agricultural Portal? If so, in what way? What can you say about the effect? Given the stagnant development, would you like to bring this issue to the attention of the national government, the province, and the sector? Or do you have other ideas for turning the tide? (Luuk Zaal on behalf of WN, AWP, NT, and PvdA, July 18, 2022)

In Trouw, we read the article 'Water boards emit toxic substances with 'green' biogas plants'. Is this also the case at HHNK, or not? And if so, what are we going to do about it and how serious is it? (Peter Vonk, May 24, 2022)

The bicycle/moped path across the Wheredijk is closed to cars. Was this decision made after an adequate participation process? What did that process look like? Did you inform residents of the legal options available to them to challenge this decision? The decision was made on formal legal grounds, but in fact, customary law should have been decisive here. Did you do everything possible to find practical solutions, such as a one-way closure (dead-end road) with turning loops? Do you consider the decision taken to be fair and proportionate (purpose and means)? (Peter Vonk, May 18, 2022)

What measures has HHNK taken in recent years to improve traffic safety on the dike in Schardam? What speed-reducing measures are possible, and are you prepared to implement them in the foreseeable future? Are you prepared to conduct trials to find tailor-made solutions to the undesirable and unsafe traffic situations? 

HHNK also owns the Burgerwoudweg road outside the dike in Schardam. Raising this road slightly would prevent much of the flooding at the adjacent campsite. Are you willing to do this? (Luuk Zaal, Piet Oudega, and Franke Hoekstra, May 1, 2022)

The AGV Water Authority recently imposed additional conditions on the leasing of fishing rights to recreational fishermen. Are these rules—prohibition of fishing with lead, no fishing at fish migration facilities, stocking fish only with written authorisation also part of the HHNK's fishing policy? Will they be included in the relevant regulation and the next revision of the fishing lease contracts? Do you also want to encourage other water managers to adopt these rules? The 'Lead-free Recreational Fishing' green deal stipulates that recreational fishing will stop using lead by 2027. What is the current status? When is the next revision of the fishing lease contracts? (Franke Hoekstra, April 22, 2022)

Will construction be permitted on the dike in Den Helder after it has been raised and widened? The developer indicates that HHNK supports these plans. Is HHNK cooperating in the realization of housing on a Category 1 sea defense? Will there be a CHI proposal? (Jacob Avis, April 21, 2022)

On what basis do you make the categorical statement that the municipality of Alkmaar has not sided with the residents? Do you believe that HHNK should not side with the residents? What do you mean by: "The image will be damaged if tax money is spent unlawfully"? Is your statement in the Alkmaarsche Courant about "increased and heavier traffic thundering past" based on research? Can you indicate when and how dredging work by the municipality of Alkmaar caused damage? In your opinion, is this damage recoverable? When HHNK took over the dredging obligation, did it also take over responsibility for damage caused in the past? Can the members of the CHI inspect the file? (Arnold Langeveld, April 17, 2022)

To what extent does HHNK take convicted animal neglecters and abusers into account in its lease policy? Are there provisions in our lease policy to exclude such (potential) tenants? Have we received any reports of possible animal abuse and/or neglect by tenants in recent years? If so, how was this responded to? (Luuk Zaal, April 15, 2022)

Does the high lookout dune at the TESO port meet water safety standards? Are the breakwaters along the North Sea beach included in the assessment? If not, why not? In the Texel dunes, which are managed by Staatsbosbeheer, active sand drift is increasingly being permitted. Is this also permitted in the water-retaining dune zone? How high is the first row of dunes between posts 9 and 12? What is the target height? Wouldn't it be better to keep the sand on the beach or against the row of dunes? (Arie Lap, April 6, 2022)

Theoretically, a business case is conceivable in which the electricity generated is converted locally into hydrogen that can be stored for use at other locations at a different time. Has such a business case been considered? And has a concrete calculation been made as to whether this is feasible at this point in time? Has a business case already been considered based on the assumption that all our solar parks are operational? (Ton Hertogh, April 1, 2022)

In times of crisis, the government, in this case HHNK, has a regulatory and enforcement role. Some direction is needed, and not every citizen can just take matters into their own hands, for example, by using their own pumps in the event of flooding. Does HHNK have sufficient enforcement capacity and authorisation in this context? Or should we fall back on the police or municipal boa's in the event of "civil disobedience" or "unruly behaviour? (Peter Vonk, March 24, 2022)

Are you familiar with the current traffic situation on Galggouw? Are you prepared to reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h and/or take other speed-reducing measures due to the many different (vulnerable) road users, the high traffic volume, and the narrow width of the road? And if so, when? (Luuk Zaal, March 17, 2022)

A building in Alkmaar has been damaged as a result of work carried out by the water board. Do you agree with us that HHNK should compensate for the damage to the property and submit the claim to the insurance company itself? And that we risk significant damage to our image in this case if we do not ensure that it is settled quickly? (Arnold Langeveld, March 5, 2022)

What is stopping you from terminating the gas contract with Gazprom with immediate effect? Can you quickly assess what terminating the contract will mean and how this can be mitigated? (Peter Vonk, February 25, 2022)

There will be some changes for municipalities with the introduction of the Sewerage and Water Management Levy. This levy also includes components relating to water treatment and the water system. What is your opinion on this new sewerage legislation? Can municipalities oblige landowners to store the rainwater they receive on their property themselves? How does this levy relate to the Water Board taxes (water system and purification levy)? (Leo Schagen, February 15, 2022)

During the construction of the Marker Wadden, class B dredged material was used that should actually have been class A. The Markermeer falls under the jurisdiction of Rijkswaterstaat, but we allow water from the Markermeer to flow in. What substances have been discharged and what effect could this have on water quality? Are there any risks to humans, (water) birds, and fish? Are RWS and HHNK consulting with each other on this subject? Will we be actively informed? How are we involved in the effects that the removal of the waterbed sediment may cause? (Leo Schagen, February 8)

The Katwoude Draft Plan states that the possibility of connecting a continuous, separate bicycle and walking path has been ruled out due to the permit conditions, which make it impossible to excavate the dike, a provincial monument, any further than is strictly necessary for water safety. How exactly does this work? If a bicycle path is really not possible, is it not possible to at least provide a walking connection? To what extent does the project plan provide for measures to promote biodiversity? (Peter Vonk, February 6, 2022)

Can you explain which findings and conclusions from the research report you do not (entirely) agree with? Which administrative issues are being discussed in the De Zeeuw committee? Will the recommendation for a quality committee and an escalation mechanism also be incorporated into the process for other complex projects (in the future)? Which lessons learned can already be incorporated into environmental management and participation policy and/or into HHNK's current and future participation processes? Will you follow the advice to also consider other appropriate solutions in the pilot? And the advice to set up an 'iterative process' in similar cases? (Frank Frowijn, Peter Vonk, and Franke Hoekstra, February 6, 2022)

At the joint committee meeting on November 3, 2021, our political group expressed its surprise that energy costs were not included as a separate item in the budget. After the meeting, Ms. Borgers promised to produce an overview of energy costs for the period 2018-2021 in mid-January. This date has now passed. We would like to know when the overview will be ready. (Ron Wiese, February 3, 2022)

Can we still achieve the goal of being completely muskrat-free by 2030 with a lower budget? Why is muskrat control the responsibility of the water boards, while the control of other harmful exotic species, such as the American crayfish, Japanese knotweed, mitten crab, and water crassula, is the responsibility of other authorities and there is no policy for this at HHNK? (Ron Wiese, January 31, 2022)

We read in the newspaper that PWN is selling its commercial subsidiary PWNT to Nijhuis Saur Industries. HHNK has been working with PWN for some time, including on the 'Ge(o)zond Water' project. Will the sale of PWNT have any consequences for the continuation of the research, and if so, what? (Ron Wiese, January 31, 2022)

The construction of jetties often results in the destruction of reed beds. The water permit explicitly states that the existing reed beds must remain intact or be restored. How is this monitored? How often does HHNK carry out restoration or construction work and who bears the costs? How often was the condition of the reed beds checked in 2021 after the construction of jetties and what were the results? (Luuk Zaal, January 26, 2022)

The Scheldestromen Water Authority is adjusting its rates based on new data on WOZ value developments. What is the situation at HHNK? Can this be differentiated between residential and non-residential properties (businesses)? (Peter Vonk, January 12, 2022)