The State Expert Review Commission gave the seal of approval to the Design Documentation for the Russian sector of the South Stream Offshore Pipeline. This concludes the final stage of the review process for the Design Documentation, which also includes the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project in Russia, the company’s website reports.
Experts undertook numerous surveys of animal and plant life in the Black Sea and at the Anapa landfall to assess potential environmental impacts of the pipeline construction and operation. The Commission proposed numerous measures to avoid or mitigate any negative impacts.
“ This is a significant milestone for the project,” says Oleg Aksyutin, CEO of South Stream Transport . “ We have worked over 2 years on the design and construction plans of the offshore infrastructure to ensure that the pipeline will be safe and not a burden for the environment or the people .”
South Stream Transport performed an EIA in accordance with Russian requirements and is undertaking an additional Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in line with the guidelines of international financial institutions. Earlier, in February the South Stream pipeline got a positive EIA in Bulgaria, where the subsea section meets land.
[mappress] Press Release, March 19, 2014; Image: Gazprom