Experts Endorse Nord Stream 2 Route Through Narva Bay

The reports providing a comparative environmental assessment of the route options for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline have received positive feedback from the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

The reports prepared by the independent environmental consultants present the results of the comprehensive studies and analysis of various technical, environmental, social and economic factors.

Based on this analysis, the Narva Bay route in the Kingisepp district of the Leningrad region has been defined as the preferred option due to its lower environmental and social impact.

A.A. Tishkov, professor and deputy director of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said: “The experts at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences provided positive conclusions to the reports on comparative assessment of the route options for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Russia. The reviewed documents presented strong arguments justifying the selection of the Narva Bay route as the preferred option. Construction work here would have lower environmental and social impact; the impact on the ecosystems along the coastal strip and shallow waters would be minimal.”

M.B. Shilin, a professor at the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University in the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Ecology, said: “The Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University working group peer-reviewed the submitted documents and concluded that the Narva Bay route is a preferred option in terms of biodiversity preservation and environmental risks when compared to the Kolganpya Cape route.”

G.E. Vilchek, head of Nord Stream 2’s Permitting group in Russia, underscored: “We have done a lot of work to select the optimal route. I am glad that reports providing a comparative environmental assessment of the route options for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline in Russia have been positively assessed by the experts of these renowned institutions.”

The final decision on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline route in Russia will be made by the competent Russian authorities.