Finnish environment officials give go-ahead for undersea gas pipeline

Gas could start flowing from Russia to Germany next year

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Nord Stream, the company that is planning to set up a gas pipeline running beneath the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, has received the go-ahead for the project from Finnish environment officials. The pipeline is to pass through the Finnish economic zone.
      The decision was made by the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland, which was established at the beginning of this year, incorporating the former Environmental Permit Agency of Western Finland.
      The application was considered by four separate environment councils, who assessed whether or not the environmental impact of the project was such that it should not proceed.
     
Sweden, Germany, Denmark, and Russia have already given permission for the pipeline to run through their economic zones and territorial waters.
     
The Finnish government decided to give its OK to the construction, but it set a few conditions for its approval, including the requirement that Nord Stream take all possible measures to minimise environmental damage.
      Already in October Nord Stream got the agreement of the Environmental Permit Agency at the time to clear away mines and other sunken military goods from the route of the pipeline. The mine clearing was suspended in January, for the duration of the winter.
      Nord Stream is ready to start laying the pipeline in the sea. The work is expected to start in many locations at the same time. The gas should start flowing in the bottom of Baltic from Russia to Central Europe already next year.
     
According to the environmental assessment, the laying of the pipeline will stir up the sea bottom and have some negative effect on fishing in the Gulf of Finland. However, most of the environmental impact was seen to be local and short-term.
      Much politics has also been seen in the project. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been opposed to the pipeline. They would have preferred to see it built on land, so that countries along the route would be able to influence the flow of gas.
     
The pipeline has also been seen to increase Russia’s maritime presence in the Baltic Sea. On the other hand, Russian vessels are free to sail in international waters anyway.
      Supporters of the pipeline feel that the deal will commit Russia to cooperation with the West. Critics say that the European Union will become increasingly dependent on Russia for energy.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Gas pipeline factory built in Kotka at record speed (18.11.2009)
  Nord Stream given permission to destroy sunken war materiel along Baltic gas pipeline route (2.10.2009)
  Estonian Foreign Minister wants Russia-Germany gas pipeline to run on land (29.10.2007)
  Nord Stream’s overground section will run through nature reserve area in Karelian Isthmus (23.11.2009)
  Nord Stream mine clearance operation delayed in Gulf of Finland (20.11.2009)

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