The statement comes after the Finnish Ministry of Environment in its opinion of June 8 concluded that it needed more information about the grand Baltic pipeline project.
The Nord Stream pipeline will be Russia’s first direct pipeline link to the EU and is seen by the country as a vital alternative supply route to European consumers. It is also planned to be a key supply route for the Shtokman gas field in the Barents Sea.
In its statement, the Finnish environmental centre approves the Nord Stream assessment report, and only calls for “further investigations for the purpose of the authorisation procedure”.
“Uusimaa Regional Environment Centre considers the performed environmental impact assessment to be sufficient in its fundamental aspects, but requires that Nord Steam AG conducts further investigations for the purpose of the authorisation procedure. In the assessment, the project’s impacts within the Finnish economic zone have, in the main, been recognised, and extensive analysis and a correctly sized assessment of these effects have been performed”, the statement reads.
The Uusimaa Regional Environment Centre is a part of the Finnish environment administration and serves as an active agent in environmental issues.
