OREANDA-NEWS. Nord Stream AG today published the Project Information Document (PID) on the Extension project. The PID describes the project's technical background and the suggested approach to assess its potential environmental and social impacts. It highlights the envisaged project in the context of the Espoo Convention in which the nations around the Baltic Sea consult each other with regards to transboundary environmental or social concerns.

As a preparation for the further Extension project development, Nord Stream is taking initiating steps by discussing the programme proposals for the national environmental impact studies in Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The proposed Extension project comprises of one or two additional pipelines through the Baltic Sea crossing the waters of the five countries.

According to the UNECE Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) for the Extension project, countries are obliged to notify and consult each other and the potentially affected countries (Russian Federation, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) on the planned project activities with potential transboundary environmental impacts. This joint notification marks the start of a transboundary consultation process.

The PID enables possibly affected parties to determine their role in the future environmental and social impact assessment and associated permitting processes in accordance with their country-specific laws and regulations.

The EIA processes will be based on the positive experience of Nord Stream. After completion of construction of Lines 1 and 2, the results of the environmental and social monitoring show that any construction-related impacts were minor, locally limited and predominantly short-term.

In line with the company's commitment to transparency and open dialogue, Nord Stream has set up a dedicated page on its website where the PID can be reviewed in nine languages of the Baltic Sea countries as well as in English. Comments on the PID will be acknowledged by the relevant authorities.