Objectives of the EIA:
- to meet requirements of the national and international legislation and environmental standards;
- to mitigate possible negative effects for the environment, human health and welfare;
- to minimize environmental risks;
- to improve the optimal alternatives, to ensure the choice of the best available technologies of the pipeline construction and operation;
- to develop best environment management scheme, environment monitoring and measurements.
EIA is an interactive process at the planning and design stage of the project. It includes broad public consultations and coordination with official bodies of the Baltic Sea region countries which are in any way affected by Nord Stream.
The EIA process includes the following steps:
- Notification
- Screening, consultation with authorized bodies and the public
- Scoping
- EIA programme
- Environmental survey
- EIA report development
- Final EIA report
- Permits, licenses, etc.
- Environmental monitoring
The schedule for the EIA in a transboundary context of Nord Stream project:
- Notification - November 2006
- EIA report finalised - in 2008
- Authority comments and adjustment - 3 months
- Public consultation - 3 months
- Review and assessment of comments - 2 months
- Final approval of EIA
