Nord Stream Submits Project Information to Involved Countries to Start Environmental Impact Assessment
Nov. 14, 2006 | Zug | Nord Stream today submitted project information document on the planned pipeline through the Baltic Sea to the responsible environmental authorities of Denmark, Finland, Germany, Russia, and Sweden in accordance with the Espoo Convention. The Nord Stream pipeline is planned to pass through the exclusive economic zones and/or territorial waters of these countries which (except Russia) are therefore defined by the Convention as the ’Parties of origin’. Russia is a signatory but not a Party to the Espoo Convention. However, Russia will act as a Party of origin as far as it considers it possible according to its legislation.
The project information document describes the technical background and possible environmental impacts of Nord Stream. This document provides the basis for the startof the process to elaborate the environmental impact assessments (EIA) needed for the project authorisation in each country.
To fulfil the obligations under the Espoo Convention the responsible environmental authorities of the ’Parties of origin’ and Russia will notify each other and Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland as ‘Affected parties’ of the planned project, on the basis of the Nord Stream project information document. This step will be followed by public consultations in the Baltic Sea region countries according to the legislation in each country. The ’Parties of origin’ and Russia will then inform Nord Stream of the results of the consultations. This information will be an important basis for preparing the final environmental impact assessment.
