OREANDA-NEWS. The public hearings were attended by residents of the Atyrau and Mangystau regions, representatives of NGOs and local authorities. Having provided a brief status update on the transition to A single joint venture company, NCOC Managing Director Stephane de Mahieu stated: "A wide range of environmental aspects have been analyzed with the aim OF minimizing the impact of our operations and preserving the unique biodiversity of the Caspian Sea area. I want to assure you that our intention is to rigorously work towards mitigating environmental impacts to the maximum extent feasible".

As noted in the EIA and at the public hearings, the anticipated impact from the pipeline construction and its operation in routine conditions will not cause irreversible changes to the ecosystems. A range of actions will be taken during the trunklines construction and operations to cushion impact on the environment. All necessary environmental measures are envisaged by the project design and existing safety and environment protection (HSE) requirements.