Energy, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Gas

The position points out several problems and shortcomings in the Nord Stream's environmental impact assessment report.

"Both the Espoo EIA report an the national reports are thick in volume and they compile a lot of materials, but several presumed impacts have not been sufficiently analysed and there are not enough evidence and justifications on less important impacts," explained the deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment in charge of environmental organisation Harry Liiv.

For example, the analysis on cross-border impact in the Espoo environmental impact assessment report and on the Finnish national environmental impact assessment report is very superficial and short – the cross-border impact on Estonia has been analysed on only 1.5 pages in the main document of the Espoo report.

A major problem also lies in the fact that Russia refused to present its national EIA report as the State has not ratified the Espoo convention and is hence not obliged to act in accordance with it.

Estonia also referred to the problem regarding the small number of studies and to the fact that not all studies have been completed by now.

The report has not analyzed thoroughly enough the dangers involving mines, there is also a confusion in the report regarding determining the number of mines. The Nord Stream EIA report also did not clarify whether the establishment of the Nord Stream gas pipe would require creating a limited zone in the Estonian economic zone for the time of construction works.

The report also had shortcomings in analyzing the impacts on human health and on the cultural heritage. Estonia also pointed out several shortcomings and problems in connection with the impacts, accidents and risks that might occur during the construction and exploitation phase.

Estonia as an affected State in accordance with the Convention on Assessing Cross-Border Environmental Impact, had an opportunity to learn the environmental impact assessment report on Nord Stream and present its proposals and counterarguments on it.