The Western Finland Permitting Authority has issued a permit that will allow to the company Nord Stream AG to clear munitions in the Finish Waters, as part of a Russian-German natural gas pipeline project.

This fact has made that the Estonian Fund for Nature (EFN) submit an appeal to the Administrative Court of Vaasa to deny that permission, as the necessary environmental impact assessment has not been completed yet.

“The permit application concerning munitions clearance should be rejected as the environmental impact assessment is not finalized” said Jüri-Ott Salm, CEO of EFN.

“The parts of the permit decision concerning the transboundary impacts to Estonia contain incorrect statements on impact assessment and risk analyses. The permitting authority has trusted explanations of the developer, without their critical
examination”.

According with some scientists and also the Estonian state authorities, “the munitions clearance application provided by Nord Stream AG is incomplete and inaccurate”.

The clearance of each munition will result in a crater on the seabed and the contaminants from those craters would be distributed in the water column, resulting in a still unknown concentration of toxicants in the sediments.

“The environmental impact assessment has not adequately assessed impacts of toxicants in sediments which are resuspended by the clearance of munitions, affecting wildlife and human health” scientists reports said.