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Finns throw spanner in Nord Stream works



By Upstream staff 

Finland expects to be ready with its environmental evaluation of the planned Nord Stream gas pipeline, which will connect Russia and Germany via a subsea pipe under the Baltic Sea, by late nest year, it said today, putting pressure on the link's tight building schedule.

The participants this month confirmed the timetable for the project to enter service by the end of 2010, but the environmental impact assessment has taken longer than expected.

"We are taking very seriously all those environmental consequences. This is our main concern," Reuters quoted Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva as telling a news conference.

"That issue will be ready in one year's time," he said.

The environmental impact assessment is scheduled to be delivered by the company carrying it out to Finnish authorities in April next year. Public hearings and evaluation will take months after that.

The project is led by Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom and involves German players BASF and E.ON . Earlier this month Dutch state pipeline operator Gasunie became the fourth partner in the €5 billion ($7.42 billion) scheme.

The countries around the Baltic Sea are divided over the 1200 kilometre pipeline that will take 55 billion cubic metres of gas a year directly from Russia to Germany.

The Baltic states and Poland fear the link may increase Russia's influence. Sweden and Finland are uneasy over the environmental impact, including the effect of stirring up sediment.

There has also been concern over the presence of World War II munitions, including chemical weapons, that were dumped in the Baltic.


Tuesday, 27 November, 2007, 15:25 GMT  | last updated: Tuesday, 27 November, 2007, 15:32 GMT

Under pressure: getting to work on the Russian section of Nord Stream
 

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