Nord Stream Presents First Annual Environmental Monitoring Report
- The Annual Environmental and Social Monitoring Report for 2010 will today be handed over to the Swedish authorities
- The results show that in 2010 no unexpected environmental effects could be detected in the Baltic Sea due to the Nord Stream pipelines
March 31, 2011 | Zug | Today Nord Stream's first annual environmental and social monitoring report is being handed over to the Swedish authorities. The report is the first of five planned annual reports relating to the construction and operation of the natural gas pipeline in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Nord Stream's environmental monitoring programme includes studies in sixteen different subject areas, such as impacts of the natural gas pipeline on sediment spreading, sea-bed recovery, mussels and fish, and seabed currents. Socio-economic factors are also included in the monitoring, such as possible impacts on shipping and commercial fisheries.
The permits for the construction of Nord Stream's two parallel pipelines contain a requirement for environmental monitoring in all five countries through whose waters the pipeline will pass. The company is investing a total of about 40 million euros in 2010-2016 in various environmental monitoring measures, both during construction and during the initial operations. The basis for the environmental monitoring efforts is provided by the environmental impact assessments and detailed sea bed surveys conducted before the permit application documents were completed, an undertaking which involved an investment of another 100 million euros.
The construction of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline started in 2010 in the Swedish EEZ. During last year rock placement, munitions clearance, cable crossings and pipe-laying were carried out. Environmental monitoring of each of these activities was conducted. For example, for mine clearance operations, the environmental monitoring consisted of observations (via sonar, visual and passive acoustic monitoring) of marine mammals, seabirds and fish before and after the detonations. Fish and seal deterrents were used and by employing an underwater camera (ROV) the area was monitored before and after the detonations. The impacts of shock waves and sea water currents were also monitored. The results showed that no marine mammals or seabirds were injured during the mine clearance operations.
The purpose of Nord Stream's environmental monitoring program is to verify that the construction and operation of the natural gas pipeline are in accordance with permit conditions. The environmental monitoring is also intended to verify that the modeling in the EIA report is valid and that the Nord Stream pipeline will not lead to any unexpected environmental impacts. The results of the surveys will also be the basis for any corrective actions to the ongoing construction activities if necessary. The Swedish environmental monitoring programme has been developed by Nord Stream in cooperation with the Swedish authorities. Nord Stream has also developed similar environmental monitoring programmes in the other countries through whose waters the pipeline will pass: Germany, Denmark, Finland and Russia.
The Swedish annual environmental monitoring report for 2010 can be accessed at http://www.nord-stream.com/fileadmin/Dokumente/1__PDF/19_Reports/Environmental_monitoring_in_Swedish_waters.pdf
