Public Environmental Assessment of the Nord Stream 2: the project should not be given permission for implementation due to numerous deficiencies and noncompliance with the law

CCB • January 16, 2018

On Monday, 15 January 2018, the results and conclusions of the Public Environmental Assessment, an independent expert review of the project documentation, including the Environmental Impact Assessment and mitigation measures, were presented at the press-conference in St. Petersburg, Russia. Public Environmental Assessment was initiated and performed in accordance with Russian Federal Law on Environmental Expertise and on the basis of respective national environmental legislation.

The major conclusion of the Expert Group that performed the Assessment and that was represented by distinguished researchers, associates and professors of several leading St. Petersburg scientific institutions and universities is very clear and straightforward :

The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, that was submitted for obtaining respective permission from the environmental authorities and consequent construction permit, should not be accepted for implementation, because of

  • inconsistency of provided documentation with national and international legal requirements in the field of environment protection
  • unacceptable level of potential negative environmental, as well as connected social and economic impacts

The Expert Group also concluded that the project design cannot be  simply amended or altered without significant changes in proposed technological solutions for pipe-laying within its offshore and landfall parts.

Conclusions of the Public Environmental Assessment will be submitted to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation and to the State Service for Supervision in the field of Nature Protection (Rosprirodnadzor), that are responsible for performing the State Environmental Expertise of the Nord Stream 2 Project and issuing respective permissions if the Project’s environmental impacts are found acceptable for implementation.

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