Nord Stream’s environmental report for the Finnish route section published
- Environmental impact assessment report available for public review and comments
- EEZ-permit application submitted
- Pipeline Information Tour to present Nord Stream in five cities in conjunction with public hearings
March 9, 2009 | Helsinki | The environmental impact assessment report (EIA) for the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline system in the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is made available for public display by the coordinating authority, the Uusimaa Environment Centre. Nord Stream has also submitted the permit application for the project according to the Finnish EEZ Act to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
Starting today, the EIA report will be available for public review and comments until 5 May 2009 in 33 coastal municipalities of Gulf of Finland, municipalities of southern Finnish Archipelago and Åland. The report is also available on Nord Stream’s website. As part of the public participation procedure, five public hearing events will be organized and chaired by the Uusimaa Environment Centre in March 2009.
During the public hearing period, Finnish authorities, citizens and other interest groups have the opportunity to state their opinions on Nord Stream’s EIA report to the Uusimaa Environment Centre. After the public hearing period, the Uusimaa Environment Centre will collate the public statements and issue their own statement on the EIA report by July 2009.
In conjunction with the public hearing events Nord Stream will bring to Finland its Pipeline Information Tour – a bus designed to provide comprehensive information about the project. The bus will visit all the public hearing locations listed below, where hearings will be held from 18-00 till 20-00. Public is welcome at the bus, where Nord Stream experts will be available for discussions:
Helsinki, 10 March 2009, Wanha Satama, Pikku Satamakatu 3, from 2 pm
Turku, 11 March 2009, Forum Marinum, Linnankatu 72, from 1 pm
Hanko, 12 March 2009, Town hall, Bulevardi 6, from 1 pm
Mariehamn, 16 March, Hotel Arkipelag, Strandgatan 31, from 2 pm
Kotka, 19 March, Datariina, Heikinkatu 7, from 1 pm
The environmental impact assessment report is a result of detailed environmental research conducted along the pipeline route and comprehensive consultation with the Finnish authorities and other interest groups.
National permits to construct and operate the pipeline are required in accordance with domestic legislation of those countries through whose waters the Nord Stream Pipeline will pass: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The required permits in Finland are the consent granted by the Council of State in accordance with the EEZ Act (Act 1058/2004) and a permit for construction and operation according to the Water Act. (Act 264/1961).
Nord Stream has also prepared a transboundary environmental report (Espoo report) in accordance with the UN Convention on the Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context. After the international consultation processes, Nord Stream’s Espoo report was confirmed by the relevant authorities of nine Baltic littoral states for publication in February 2009. The Espoo report is published as an annex to the Finnish national EIA report and is also subject to the public participation process.
