Service vessel waste water and politics among subjects of interest at Baltic Sea pipeline promotional meeting

Nord Stream pipeline’s environmental impact discussed at public access meetings

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Could the Baltic Sea gas pipeline not have been designed to run on land instead? Yes, it could have, but that would have been too expensive and it would not have matched the need.
      Will the ships servicing the pipeline release their waste water into the sea? The environmental regulations will be complied with. Can the train tunnel between Helsinki and Tallinn be constructed if there is a gas pipe on the bottom of the sea? Well, the tunnel would hardly be profitable anyway.
     
These were some of the answers given to the general public by the Finnish environmental authorities and by representatives of the Russian-German Nord Stream consortium, responsible for the planning of the underwater gas pipeline from St. Petersburg to Germany, at a public access gathering in Helsinki.
      The Tuesday meeting was the first of five public occasions in Finland where the clarifications commissioned by Nord Stream into the environmental effects of the pipeline are discussed.
      Outside there was a Nord Stream promotional trailer lorry, presenting the public with a chance to marvel at a scale model of the ship that is to lay the pipe onto the bottom of the sea and a promotional video of the pipeline.
     
Despite the show that was put on, one had to look hard to find any concerned citizens at the meeting. Most of those present were members of the press, government officials, or representatives of various environmental organisations.
      Jorma Kari from Helsinki came to find out if the pipeline rising from the sea would run through his former family farm in the Russian Karelia.
      “I have not been able to find out anywhere, where exactly in Karelia the pipeline will enter the sea”, Kari said.
      After some inquiring, it was soon established that more than likely the pipeline will come out of the Gulf of Finland only a couple of kilometres from Kari’s place of birth.
      “Next I want to find out what kind of structures will be erected there.”
      Another Helsinki resident Urho Ilmonen, who frequently scuba dives in the Eastern Gulf of Finland, was concerned about the disturbance caused to the bottom of the sea.
      “There is already who knows what down there. The bottom should not be stirred up any further, but the pipeline should be laid on land instead.”
      Helsinki fisherman Mika Norring wants to know if the pipeline will chase away the fish.
      The compilers of the clarification gave an assurance that the effects on the living conditions of marine life would be minimal.
     
The assessment report commissioned by Nord Stream on the pipeline’s environmental effects is on display for public comment until May 5th. In addition to Helsinki, meetings open to the public will be organised also in Turku, Hanko, Mariehamn, and Kotka.
      The assessment reports will further be discussed in other Baltic Sea countries.
      In Helsinki the project’s political impact was also under scrutiny.
      “I’m just wondering if Finland will be left with the downsides of this project, while others reap the benefits”, said Satu Nurmiharju.
     
The idea of the pipeline is to carry natural gas from Russia to customers in Western Europe, and the aim is to have the gas flowing already by 2011.
      It has already met with some disapproval in countries bordering the Baltic, both for environmental and national security reasons.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Gas pipeline route survey reveals effects of pollution on Baltic Sea bottom (23.4.2008)
  Russian journalist: gas pipeline´s damaging environmental effects underestimated (15.4.2008)
  Assessment: limited impact of gas pipeline on Baltic Sea (10.3.2009)
  Environmental assessment of proposed undersea gas pipeline to be assessed by adjacent countries (27.1.2009)
  Coastal states in Baltic Sea region reject tight schedule of planned gas pipeline (6.6.2008)

Links:
  Nord Stream (Wikipedia)

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