Norwegian environmental organizations are escalating their legal battle against a controversial mining waste deposit in a West Norwegian fjord. The Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature and Nature and Youth are appealing a lower court decision to the Supreme Court. They seek an immediate injunction to halt the dumping of mine tailings into the Førdefjorden. This follows a landmark ruling by the Borgarting Court of Appeal in August. That court found the state's permit for the sea deposit to be invalid and in breach of both Norwegian water regulations and the EU Water Framework Directive.
The case centers on the Engebø Mountain rutile and garnet mine operated by Nordic Mining. The state granted permission for the disposal of up to 170 million tonnes of mining waste directly into the fjord. The facility opened officially in late May. By mid-October, district court records indicated approximately 200,000 tonnes of waste had already been deposited. The EFTA Court has previously stated that such dumping in the fjord violates EU directives, strengthening the environmentalists' legal position.
Truls Gulowsen, head of the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature, expressed determination in a recent statement. 'We strongly believe we will win this case, so that there is a prohibition against mine dumping until the matter is finally settled,' Gulowsen said. He acknowledged the financial risk, noting the groups were ordered to pay 2.5 million kroner in legal costs by the district court in November. 'It is incredibly expensive to take this fight for the Førdefjorden to court, so we are taking a big risk by doing this. That is why we now need all the support we can get.'
The appeal represents a critical test for Norway's environmental governance and its contentious 'green mining' policy. The government promotes mineral extraction as part of the green transition, citing the need for critical minerals like rutile. Yet this case highlights the direct conflict between industrial activity and the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems. The Førdefjorden is a deep, biologically rich fjord system in Vestland county. Environmental scientists argue submarine tailings disposal can smother seabed life and release toxic heavy metals into the water column.
The state's decision to appeal the Court of Appeal's ruling to the Supreme Court underscores the high political and economic stakes. The outcome will set a major precedent for similar projects in Norwegian fjords and could influence Arctic policy. Norway's approach to balancing resource extraction with its international environmental commitments is under intense scrutiny. The Supreme Court's eventual decision will determine not only the fate of the Førdefjorden but also the legal framework for future industrial projects in sensitive coastal zones. The case puts the Storting's support for the mining sector on a direct collision course with Norway's obligations under European environmental law.