News

March 10, 2010

NCO of St. Petersburg entered “For Baikal!” coalition

Four non-commercial organizations (NCO) of St. Petersburg entered Russia-wide coalition “Foe Baikal!” – they are St. Petersburg department of Greenpeace, Civil initiative movement, “Green wave” and Expertise centre “ECOM”. IA REGNUM was informed of it on March 10 by Maria Muratova, press secretary of St. Petersburg department of Greenpeace.

Maria Muratova reported that today coalition starts signature collection in appeal to UNESCO with request to turn attention of the Russian Federation Government towards inadmissibility of Baikal pulp and paper plant startup. Coalition sets 2 main goals: to reach waste interception and emission cut-off at Baikal pulp and paper plant (BPPP) and to repeal decree of the Government of RF № 1 of January 13, 2010 that permits BPPP dumping untreated sewage into Baikal, as well as to gain creation of alternative jobs at Baikalsk by development of ecology and social oriented manufactures.

“We, St. Petersburg inhabitants, as no one else understand what it means to lose an object of World Heritage. We appeal to UNESCO to remind President and Government of the Russian Federation by means of this international forum of obligations our country has to all people of the planet”, - said Aleksandr Karpov, Director of the Expertise centre “ECOM”.

 

March 9, 2010

Nature sanctuary at Southern Ural is polluted with sewage effluents

Emergency sewage collector threatens southern Ural lake Smolino. As informed “New region” at procuracy of Chelyabinsk region, environmental procuracy examined pollution of nature sanctuary lake Smolino with utility fluids in the area of junior sport and health camp “Smolino”. Examination was motivated by appeal of Chelyabinsk direction of environment and nature management.

It emerged that the lake is polluted because of inappropriate exploitation of sewage collector of JSC “Sphere-CTZ”. Since January 25 of a current year one of sewage pumping station collectors has been operating in emergency mode with twofold overload. As a result Smolino lake is pumped with sewage water. The level of compounds dangerous for human health in this sewage exceeds permissible standards. JSC “Sphere-CTZ” violates environmental legislation by passing it.

According to examination results environmental procurator gave notice of claim to Traktorozavodsky district court of Chelyabinsk about emergency sewage collector layoff and its complete repair by the enterprise. Direction of the JSC “Sphere-CTZ” was informed of elimination of environmental legislation violation. Moreover there was commenced proceeding against Director General of the enterprise by part 4 article 8.13 of Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations (violation of rules on water objects conservation). Actы on procurators response are under consideration.

 

March 4, 2010

TSTP increased expenses for ecology program by 26% in 2009

Expenses for ecology program of JSC “Tuapsinsky sea trade port” came up to 58 million rub. in 2009 that is 26% more than the same index in 2008, informed press service of the port.

35.6 million rub. spent on TSTP ecology fleet maintenance that provides protection of port water area from probable consequences of emergency situations, as well as oil spill containment and response.

5.8 million rub. devoted to development and realization of project on arrangement of united sanitary protection zone for group of enterprises at Tuapse port water area, that would help to reduce negative impact on the environment.

8.2 million rub. devoted to construction of drainage system with permanent withdrawal and recycling of subterranean oil products and to realization of the project on construction of purifying facilities that would help to prevent polluting substance get into Black sea.

9.2 million rub. devoted to sanitary estimation of enterprises situated in port water area, to ecosphere indicators control as well as to industrial waste recycling.

 

March 3, 2010

Water quality at Chelyabinsk meets standards

Quality of water from Shershenevsky water storage that appears as the source of drinking water for Chelyabinsk meets all the standards. Specialists of number of departments came to this conclusion, informed on March 3 press service of the Ministry of ecological and radiation safety of Chelyabinsk region.

Water quality analyses will be continued. Thus next week there will be arranged by efforts of Federal Service for Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare and MUO Industrial Association for Water Supply and Disposal a sample collection at Miass river starting from Argazinsky water storage to Shershenevsky one. Specialists will examine water protection zone of Miass river to discover new sources of pollution. Results of collaboration work will help to define actions required for river load decrease and a need in technologic re-equipment of purifying facilities.

As IA REGNUM News reported before specialists of MUO Industrial Association for Water Supply and Disposal came to conclusion that Shershenevsky water storage being the only source of drinking water for Chelyabinsk is polluted with excrements.

 

March 2, 2010

Tow-boat drowned at Azov port water area, part of fuel got into Don

Tow-boat “Griffon-4” drowned on March 1 at the territory of “Obukhovsky” dockyard on the river Don at the Azov sea port water area. Specialists recorded fuel spill, informed RIA News Yulia Gorbacheva, senior inspector of Department of Federal Service of environmental control at Southern Federal District.

She explained that the level of damage for ecology could be defined only after laboratory studies would be carried out, these studies can take at least a week. “Spill size is not defined by present time”, - said agency interlocutor.

The plant refused to give any comments about the accident and claimed that “there was no sunken vessel”. “That was not our boat, you should look for an owner”, - reported by phone assigned to the enterprise a woman who refused to introduce herself.

 

March 1, 2010

The Petersburg ecologists: thaw will load water-purifying stations

The Petersburg ecologists have revealed some illegal platforms for a dump of the snow cleaned from city streets. As the head of the St.-Petersburg branch of the Green Peace Dmitry Artamonov has informed on the 1 of March, one of this platforms is situated on the side of Gulf of Finland behind the former hotel “Pribaltiyskaya” on the Korablestroitely street.

The ecologists have fixed cases of illegal dump of the cleaned snow on Neva, Fontanka, Griboedov and Obvodnyi channel earlier. Artamonov reminded that the snow on the streets is strongly polluted with toxic substances from exhaust gases, gasoline and harmful oils.

Thus, as Artamonov has explained, if thawed snow from such kind of platforms gets to reservoirs above water fences, it will load the work of the water-purifying stations, filtering water for waterpipes essentially. The ecologist has added that threat of pollution of potable water from consequences of strong snowfalls much less than the threat of the process waters, which are merged by the enterprises into the rivers without clearing.

 

February 27, 2010Aleksandr Kogan: not all enterprises are interested in water cleanup system modernization.

Water cleanup system modernization can lead to negative response in certain business structures. This was reported by Chairman of the Duma committee on budget and taxes Aleksandr Kogan who addressed on February 26 at session of Public-conservative club “Civic Platform” with the speech on “Legislative base for drinking water affordability for every Russia citizen”.

“Pure water” theme was touched in 1970s, in 1990s, in 2000. In 2006 United Russia Party informed about a party project “Pure water” start-up. Nowadays our project turned into governmental program, and we are to define certain realization mechanisms. From my opinion today the main thing is to create systems not only for industrial, but for individual water purification as well that would fit to private and apartment houses.

We are to provide conditions for funds investment (including private ones) into modern technologies development that would cut water filters costs and make them more available for people.

It is important to realize that organizations being anyhow concerned with water supplies would speak determinately against technological renovation. It concerns companies involved into filters and bottled water production, keepers of water treatment facilities. All of them will bleed cash if we follow the modernization”.

 

February 26, 2010

Baikal pulp and paper plant contradicted not being able to treat sewage

Press service of Baikal pulp and paper plant that is to be start-up after a year of downtime contradicted on Friday information from ecologists on harmful substances be likely to get into Baikal lake after Baikalsk sewerage system being united with the discharge system of the plant.

Baikal pulp and paper plant originally had been built in the way to fuse its discharge system with Baikalsk sewerage, in other words the plant purified not only its own sewage but city waste as well. This week ecological organization “Baikal ecology wave” claimed that plant cleansing structures will not be able to treat Baikalsk sewage runoff after a year of downtime that may lead to harmful substances get into Baikal. In this connection ecologists demanded an ecological audit at the plant to be carried out.

As Baikal pulp and paper plant says “ecologists know nothing about technologies of treatment facilities”. “Before start-up an expertise they should consult with specialists of “Sibgiprobum” institute that appear as engineers of Baikal pulp and paper plant sewage system”, - reports Baikal pulp and paper plant.

For the whole performance period quality of sewage being discharged into Baikal lake has been meeting admitted standards, and treatment efficiency reached 99%, informs plant press service.

 

February 25, 2010

Consulate General of Sweden will take part in the I International conference “Saint-Petersburg - the sea capital of RUSSIA. Ecology”

Consulate General of Sweden in St. Petersburg is sending a representative to the I International Conference "Saint-Petersburg - the sea capital of RUSSIA. Ecology.” Consul, Vice Consul General Gunnar Kling, Frau Christina Johannesson will participate in events.

Along with Sweden Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Saint Petersburg, Consulate General of the Republic of Latvia in St. Petersburg and the Ministry of Environment Republic of Latvia announced the decision to take part in the events.

 

February 24, 2010

UNESCO examines situation at Baikal

In connection with Baikal pulp and paper plant start-up UNESCO committee of World Nature Heritage demanded additional report from Russia on Baikal lake environment for the expired year. As “Baikal ecology wave” press service reported on February 24, the lake is likely to be transferred into the list “The part of world Nature Heritage in danger”.

Baikal lake was included into the List of World Nature Heritage in 1996. The list consists of 878 objects. Russia signed the Convention on World Heritage in 1988.

 

February 19, 2010

Ministry of Environment of Latvia confirmed participation in the conference “St.Petersburg – the sea capital of Russia. Ecology”

Both Latvia and Russia government are deeply concerned of ecological problems at Baltic sea water area. Possibility of the sea ecosystem restoration in many ways depends on action coordination of Baltic states. That is why council of the Minister of environment of Latvian Republic Viesturs Silenieks will take part in the I International conference “St.Petersburg – the Sea capital of Russia. Ecology”.

 

February 18, 2010

Yury Trutnev took over the control investigation of oil pumping into Kama river.

The Head of the Ministry of Natural Resources directed control bodies to carry out an unscheduled check-out of industrial enterprises that may be concerned to Kama river pollution resulted into Krasnokamensk with its 50 thousand population stayed without water, - reports press service of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

“It is important to carry out an unscheduled check-out of industrial enterprises that may be concerned to this accident and to enhance water bodies monitoring to exclude such emergency situations in future”, - press service quotes the Minister.

The message points out that this way the Head of Ministry of Natural Resources “took over the individual control investigation of the causes of oil pumping into Kama river”.

The Minister assigned the chiefs of Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Usage, Service of Water Resources of Russia and Agency on Hydrometeorology and Environmental to carry out strict investigation of the reasons of oil spill on surface area of the water body.

 

February 17, 2010

The Port of Tallinn is to represent Estonia at the I International Conference “Saint Petersbourg — the Sea Capital of RUSSIA. Ecology”.

At the I International Conference “Ecology” of the UNITED RUSSIA project “Saint Petersbourg — the Sea Capital of RUSSIA” the representative of the Port of Tallinn, the major sea traffic centre, will deliver an address.

Ellen Kaasik, the head of the Quality Control and Environmental Protection Department of the Port of Tallinn, will expatiate upon the enterprise’s environmental policy and infrastructure development.

The Port of Tallinn, the Estonian sea steamhips’ base port, founded in 1219, is the third largest Baltic Sea port; it consists of 5 port zone: the Old City Harbour, Muuga, Paljassaare, Paldiski South and Saaremaa. By last year’s results the port has become the leader of the Baltic region in freight turnover, having increased the indices by 8,7 %.

 

February 16, 2010

Matvienko spoke to the minister of environment of Finland

Today in the Smolnyj Cathedral Valentina Matvienko, the governor of Saint-Petersburg, and the minister of environment of Finland discussed questions of cooperation on preservation the Baltic sea.

«We all live in the Baltic sea – it’s our responsibility” – said Matvienko. She reminded that today Saint-Petersburg active and successfully participates in the project on decrease of Phosphate emission in the Baltic sea.

Her Finish guest has noted that “the Baltic sea is a native object that joins all of us”. Today the Strategy of the Baltic sea is developing in European Union. “We want to realize the principles of the Strategy in defense work that will be spent for preservation of cleanliness of the Baltic sea. We want this activity to cover all the Europe”, - said Paula Lehtomyaki. She invited Saint Petersburg to participate in the Strategy realization.

Matvienko pointed out that Saint Petersburg is interested in taken place in all the processes, all the programs on protection the Baltic sea. Offers which have been developed by Saint-Petersburg will be formulated and directed to include in the Strategy. She has also thanked the president and the government of Finland for their help in building Southwest Treatment facilities and general North collector with which input Saint Petersburg will treat 98% of sewage.

 

February 15, 201067 millions rubles are sent for the ecological program of group of companies “Sea port Saint-Petersburg”

Group of companies “Sea port Saint-Petersburg” sent more than 67 million rubles for environmental actions in 2009 that is 20% more than the previous year, - direction on internal and external communications in Group of companies informed.

More than 41,6 millions rubles are sent for project operations and construction of purification plants and local purifying systems at new facilities erected within the framework of the development program by group of companies: “Universal pick-and-place complex” at Ust Luga (0.5 million rubl), Ro-Ro terminal of the First Stevedoring Company (36.8 million rubl), Container terminal of the Forth Stevedoring Company (4.6 million rub).

6.9 million rubles are sent for repair works and maintenance of purifying systems and storm collectors on the territory of the First, Second and Forth stevedoring companies.

Companies of “Sea port Saint-Petersburg” group constantly control the meeting of standards and demands of environmental and health legislation. Throughout the year there is a quality monitoring and a complex of measures is realized to protect air, land and water recourses from industrial and consumer waste: the volume of waste and the cycle of its disposal are under strict control. 18.8 million rubles channeled for this purpose in 2009.

 

February 12, 2010

Administration of Khanty-Mansiysk was obliged to clean Irtysh River bank

Interdistrict environmental prosecutor of Khanty-Mansiysk has checked observation of environmental legislation requirements in water areas of objects in Yugra in terms of salvaging and recycling of sunken vessels and their parts. Correspondent of news agency REGNUM was told about that on February, 12 in the press service of the prosecutor's office of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District.

During check it is established that in areas of the Irtysh River shoreline there are the remains of metal enclosures and parts of thriftless vessels with corrosion traces which are a fishery reservoirs pollution source. Besides, hull oxidised metal has negative influence on water biological resources.

The Office of Public Prosecutor has addressed in court with claims to administration of Khanty-Mansiysk with requirement to bring the shoreline of the Irtysh River in an environmentally safe condition and to recycle metal hulls rests and parts of thriftless vessels. City administration was obliged to clean Irtysh River bank.

 

February 11, 2010“Lukoil” Company will participate in the conference “St.Petersburg – the Sea capital of Russia. Ecology”

JSC “Lukoil” will participate in the events of the 1st International conference “Ecology” of the “United Russia” political party Project “St.Petersburg – the Sea capital of Russia”. The company will be represented by Deputy Head of Central technical authority I.A.Zaikin who will make a speech “Ecological aspects of the Caspian Sea shelf oilfields development”.

Petroleum company “Lukoil” year in year out carry on systematic work in the field of environment safety securing, emergency situation prevention and liquidation. Environmental care has been one of the priority areas of “Lukoil” activity long ago. Without that, as it is believed in the company, it is impossible to hold leading positions in petroleum and gas production and refining, oil and petrochemistry products output. “Lukoil” company successes in the field of environmental protection were appreciated highly by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation. “We are established for turning natural resources energy in a good cause of humans” – this is the mission of JSC “Lukoil”.

 

February 10, 2010

V.Putin has arrived in Helsinki to take part in ecological summit on the Baltic Sea

Prime-minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has arrived in Helsinki this morning to speak at Summit of actions on the Baltic Sea and to meet number of region’s countries leaders. Summit will be devoted to issues of Baltic ecology improvement as it is one of the most polluted seas in the world.

It is expected that Russian prime-minister in his speech will tell about measures taken by Russia on keeping unique ecosystem of Baltic Sea including ecological aspects of pipeline Nord Stream construction.

 

February 9, 2010

Ecologists will offer their own recipe of the sea rescue to the heads of the Baltic countries

On Tuesday, the day before the summit across the Baltic sea in Helsinki on February, 10th, the ecologists from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) will dispatch letters to the prime ministers of all countries of the region with the appeals on improvement of the ecological status of the Baltic, the press-service of WWF of Russia informs.

During the meeting in Helsinki ministers and heads of the governments of the Baltic countries will discuss the questions of the Baltic sea conservancy and realization of the Plan of actions across the Baltic sea. It is expected that Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of the Russian Federationwill take part in “The Summit of actions across the Baltic sea – 2010”.

WWF offers the countries-participants of the summit seven “simple decisions” which will allow considerable improvement of the sea ecology in the near future. Among them there is the prohibition of phosphates use in detergents (washing agents), the tax introduction on use of nitrogen and phosphoric fertilizers, the interdiction on catching of the common eel for restoration of its number.

Besides, nature defenders urge to clear especially polluted areas of the sea, allocated by the Helsinki commission on protection of the sea environment of the Baltic sea (HELCOM), and also to create the international network of sea especially protected natural territories. In their opinion, especially protected natural territories should cover 10 % of the Baltic.

 

February 8, 2010

The Swedish Coast Guard is looking for containers with dangerous cargo for three days

The Swedish news agency TT reports that on Monday the Swedish Coast Guard renewed its search of three containers with dangerous cargo, which had fallen into the Baltic Sea from the Finnish container Linda destining from Rotterdam for St. Petersburg on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the morning on February, 6 between the Swedish islands of Oland and Gotland. According to media reports, at least one of the containers includes several tons of environmentally dangerous substance.

“We are sure that the containers are at the bottom. Therefore, it will be difficult to find them. Even if we find them, it will be very difficult to raise them because of the deepness of that area”, - Fredrik Eriksson, the duty of Coast Guard of South Sweden says.

The containers are located at depths from 70 to 100 meters, reported in the Coast Guard. It is assumed that the cargo has fallen into the water after one of the lower containers had settled down.

According to TT, there are canisters with five tons of disinfectant Vantocil, dangerous to the sea environment, in one of the fallen overboard containers. The Swedish experts are finding out the danger level of the cargo and the time it can lie in water without having done much harm to environment.

The agency says that the second container includes about eight tones of substance classified as dangerous for the environment, and the third one - six tons of flammable substance.

 

February 05, 2010

Oil spilled at Skovorodinsky region got from ESPO into the river Bolshoy Never

Oil from the damaged pipe of the “Eastern Siberia-Pacific ocean” system at Skovorodinsky region got into the river bed of Bolshoy Never. It is reported by PRIME-TASS with reference to Investigation department of investigative committee at the procuracy of the Amur region.

Officers of the department in charge of investigation over the fact of the pipe damage report that “oil spill spread over river bed for one km and over the part of the stream – feeder of Bolshoy Never. The level of polluted snow and soil at the coastal zone “comes to 30-60 cm”.

The accident took place on February 3. Shovel operator endamaged the pipe by the grab while breaking up the lay of soil over the pipe to eliminate inner defects in pipe discovered by control equipment. Flow oil blowout started under pressure.

As it was determined there were 3300 cubic meters of crude oil between 2 stopcock at the moment of accident. The amount of spilled oil is still uncertain. But pollution scale refutes obviously understated by “Vostoknefteprodukt” rating data of “just 6-8 cubic meters of spilled oil”.

Experts from environmental and other related structures operate at the place of the accident. Inspection over the fact of the accident is carried out also by the officers of environmental procuracy and procuracy of Skovorodinsky region. Post-accident clean-up operations are conducted by efforts of pipe operators. Oil pumping at the the “Eastern Siberia-Pacific ocean” system that was suspended for 36 hours due to the accident is restarted tonight.

 

February 04, 2010

4 thousand tons of fish is bred in 2009 in Leningrad Region

Enterprises of Leningrad region bred more that 4 thousand tons of fish in 2009 (trout, white-fish, sturgeon, carp). It was reported by IA REGNUM News at the Information Policy department of Leningrad Region government. It is planned in the nearest time to work out in association with Russian Fishery agency and GosNIORH a plan of stocking waters with fish, as well as to work out a number of regulatory documents and to develop river and lake preservation.

Involving freelance inspectors is planned as a measure for fishery protection improvement. The representative of the information policy department of the regional government proclaims that representatives of environmental and aquacultural organizations will get such certificates and required power on March 1.

By present time 5 state fish hatcheries of FSI “Sevzaprybvod” perform on the territory of Leningrad region for water bioresources reproduction: Nevsky (Atlantic salmon), Narvsky (Atlantic salmon), Luzhsky (Atlantic salmon, bull trout, lamprey, bream), Svirsky (lake salmon, bull trout) and Volkhovsky (whitefish). However, as specialists say, capacity and techniques of these plants do not allow to solve the problem of sufficient fish reproduction.

 

February 03, 2010

“Gazprom dobycha Urengoy” takes part in the conference “ST.Petersburg – the sea capital of Russia. Ecology”

“Gazprom dobycha Urengoy” JSC, will take part in I international conference “Ecology” of the United Russia party Project “St.Petersburg – the sea capital of Russia”. Deputy chief of the department of Technical progress and environmental protection Andrey Vasilevich Mahorin will act at the conference with the report “Ecologically effective innovative decisions for utilization of wastewater at Urengoy NGKM”.

Performance of “Gazprom dobycha Urengoy” JSC is closely connected with impact on environmental situation and that is why the company pays special attention to environment protection issues. The main actions in this sphere are efficient development of the industrial nature management system, implementation of innovative works to provide conformity of company performance to current ecological standards, different researches etc. It is worth mentioning among significant achievements of the company the following: actions for protection of water basin and other nature resources, environmental objects rehabilitation.

 

February 02, 2010

A campaign for protection of Amur basin ecosystem starts at Priamurye

Today in Amur region a campaign “Days of Amur” starts. According to information of Press relations service of Amur government similar-named campaign is held also in five federation entities situated in Amur basin (Zabaikalye, Khabarovsk, Primorsk Territories, Amur and Jewish Autonomous Regions).

Decision to organize this campaign was made by coordinating committee on sustained development of Amur basin. The main aim of the campaign is to attract attention to the conservancy problem of Amur basin ecosystems, to promote and develop environment-oriented actions as well as to increase ecological culture among people.

Roundtable discussions and student Internet-conference will be held under the egis of “Days of Amur”. By the end of March international conference on problems of Amur river in Heihe (PRC) is planned to be held. Interregional contest “Birds over Amur” starts in October.

Events will be continued the next year: interregional campaign “River ribbon” will take place, public consultations with participation of scientific and public organizations will be organized. Interregional festival will appear as the termination of the campaign.

 

February 01, 2010

Russian Federation and Iran discussed environmental documents on Caspian

Experts from Russia and Iran discussed in Moscow environmental documents on Caspian marine environment protection and started to develop a Report on emergency situations in followup of the meeting.

Russian-Iran consultations took place on January 26-29 during sessions of representatives from Caspian countries according to framework convention working plan on Caspian marine environment protection (Teheran convention).

Experts discussed report on estimation of influence on environment in cross-border context (Environmental Impact Assessment) and report on regional standby, response and cooperation in case of oil pollution accidents (report on emergency situations).

“Following the results of consultations over report project on EIA participants have reached an agreement on main items. Report project on emergency situations is wholly approved and will be sent to Caspian countries to be prepared to sign up during the third conference of Teheran convention parties in November 2010 in Kazakhstan”, - the message says.

 

January 29, 2010

Almost 30% of water samples do not meet standards

As Viktor Basargin, the Minister of regional development, reports almost 30% of city water samples from different regions of the RF do not meet health standards, and pipe depreciation exceeds 60% in some towns. At that the Minister reminded that Russia has the largest storage of water resources in Eurasia.

Basargin reminded that government of the RF approved water strategy of Russia for up to 2020. It is supposed to be financed with 662 billions rubles, including 480 billions from federal budget. “Among other goals the strategy supposes twofold reduction of inefficient water loss”, - press-release reports.

The minister also pointed out that according to federal target program “Habitation” there supposed a complex of measures on construction and reconstruction of water-supply facilities, canalization systems, and purification plants. The total amount of financing is 53,8 billions rubles. In particular toward Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 and toward summit АТЭС-2012 in Vladivostok water-supply facilities and water disposal systems are planned to be completely replaced in these cities.

“In perspective we plan to develop mechanism of state-private partnership that will provide ultimately efficient exploitation of water resources”, - the Minister says.

 

January 28, 2010

Multi-function icebreaker “Nevskaya zastava” started operating in St.Petersburg

Multi-function icebreaker “Nevskaya zastava” of the Committee of ecosystem exploitation, environmental protection and security started operating in extreme ice conditions. According to information from SUE “PILARN”, to which the vessel had been conveyed, the main purpose of the icebreaker is to provide environmental safety in St.Petersburg water areas including winter time.

Icebreaker “Nevskaya zastava” has a wide range of features: oil spill elimination during winter internavigational period, break down of ice blockings, prevention of ice jam at Neva. There is a multifunctional hydraulic full-circle crane to collect oil products. Moreover the vessel has a possibility to bring promptly a fire under control on a shore or injured vessel, to provide where necessary emergent winter diving operations.

Icebreaker is capable to operate in ice features of 60 sm. The vessel with its powers can tow and convoy oil-carriers as well as perform urgent rescue and salvage operations on vessels according to plan on oil spill elimination both during navigation and winter time.

 

January 27, 2010

The vessel from Cambodia bilged at Avachinsk bay anchorage

Cambodia-flag vessel “Ray” bilged at Avachinsk bay anchorage near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a flood danger appeared and scores of tons of oil from vessel tanks could fall into the water, reported a representative from port administration to RIA News on Wednesday.

Cambodia-flag refrigerated vessel “Ray” (port of origin Pnompen) was arrested by frontiersmen in May of past year carrying 125 tons of illegal crab products. Court of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky adjudicated to confiscate the vessel towards damage carried by Russia. For almost a year the vessel stayed at Avachinsk bay anchorage. Ship-owner kept aloof from supporting the vessel and six crew members on board.

“By present day the water pouring into the engine-room and vessel buoyancy is provided by border guard cruiser “Brest” arrived for assistance”, - informed agency interlocutor, he also explained that the flow appeared in rusty vessel body because of ice.

On Wednesday at daily briefing at government of the region there was made the decision to activate the performance of bailiff service which is to deliver in short time court decision and documents to representatives of Federal Property Management Agency. The border for crew is opened.

Avachinsk harbor is the largest penalty area in Russia for arrested and confiscated for poaching vessels. Simultaneously there may be at anchorage for up to 30-40 trawlers, seiners and refrigerators. Incidents with vessels that stay ownerless during the period between the confiscation decision and assignation to Federal Property Management Agency are frequent. Previously there were recorded.

Avachinsk bay is a unique object of nature. It is considered to be the second largest bay in the world and concede just to Guanabara bay with Rio-de-Janeiro on its shores. The square of Avachinsk bay is about 200 sq.km. It can hold simultaneously the fleet of the entire world.

 

January 25, 2010

The number of oil spills in Northwest marine waters of Russia has decreased in 3 times over the last year - to only 4 incidents

"The number of oil spills in Northwest marine waters of Russia has dropped by 67% over the last year against the figures for 2008. Only 4 incidents of oil spillage occurred in 2009," the Department of Russian Federal Service for Supervising natural resources in the Northwest federal district reported. It should be noted that such result was achieved because of regular surveillance maintaining by the territorial agencies of the department.

In the process of conducting permanent surveillance they checked 869 vessels last year against 705 vessels in 2008. During these operations 291 faults were revealed 203 of which were eliminated. As for 2008's statistics, 227 faults were revealed 133 of which were eliminated.

 

January 21, 2010

Environmental public prosecutor's office was established in Voronezh region

Voronezh inter-regional environmental prosecutor's office will begin its work on February, 1, as the assistant prosecutor of Voronezh region Mikhail Usov reports to REGNUM. The office will consist of 5 employees.

The necessity of establishing such agency is caused by existing in the region variety of environmental problems. The most serious problems are the disposal of hazardous urban and industrial wastes, air pollution, water contamination, illegal tree cutting.

In Voronezh region there are Voronezhsky and Hopersky nature reserves, one federal and 17 regional game parks, 163 nature memorials, over 1,300 large and small rivers, more than 2,500 ponds and other bodies of water. Economic activities of 1,830 objects have a negative impact on the environment. In addition, the construction of another nuclear power station is carried on now in the region.

 

January 20, 2010

Public organizations call upon European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to concentrate on ecological and social tasks.

45 public organizations of Europe appealed to European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to review the criteria of countries’ economical development. These criteria are particularly used for selection of projects, financed by the Bank in Central and Eastern Europe.

In 2010-2015 EBRD hopes to raise its capital by 10 billion euro with the help of the countries, which are also shareholders of the Bank. From the public organizations’ point of view, increasing of capital has to be accompanied with changes in investment approach.

“EBRD must concentrate on particular social and ecological tasks that will help to improve the well-being of society instead of tying everything to market criteria,” – Pippa Gallop, the coordinator of CEE Bankwatch, says. “In the area of transport infrastructure money are often invested in projects that irretrievably damage biological diversity, provoke social group protests and that are doubtful from the point of optimal solutions of transport problems,” – Vera Ponomareva, the coordinator of the movement “Let’s save Untolovo” on interaction with financial institutions.

 

January 19, 2010

The Baikal Pulp and Paper Plant will be able to resume the production.

On the 13th of January 2010 the Government took the decree that expelled the production of pulp, paper and carton off the list of activities forbidden in the central ecological area of Baikal region. Besides, prohibitions on warehousing, burial and neutralization of newly generating dangerous industrial wastes are cancelled. So The Baikal Pulp and Paper Plant will be able to resume its activity.

Russia will brake its international commitments to save objects of UNESCO worldwide heritage if The Baikal Pulp and Paper Plant is launched again, according to opinion of Igor Chestin, the Head of Worldwide Wildlife Fond (WWF) in Russia. “By the decree from the 13th January we are loosening the regime the object included in UNESCO worldwide heritage. It means that in the near future the mission of Worldwide heritage committee can arrive in Russia and further Baikal lake can get the status of UNESCO object under the threat,”- Chestin announced.

 

January 18, 2010

The 20-years old oil leak still threatens animals on Alaska

The oil spilled off the American energetic giant Exxon Mobil Corp tanker in 1989 got stuck in the sand of Alaska seashore and threatens lives of local animals, according to the Bloomberg agency with the reference on scientific research published in Nature Geoscience magazine.

The tanker Valdez crashed on the ice in 1989, the leak was about 262 thousand barrel of oil. Last year Exxon agreed to pay off 470 thousand dollars in real action of 507,5 million dollars to injured local inhabitants including fishmen and entrepreneurs.

The oil couldn’t decompose because it got stuck in sands, where the level of oxygen is very low.

“The surface seems to be clean until you start digging. On the deapth in some inches or one-two feet there are toxic stocks“, - it is said in the research. Sea otters that finds food by digging in sand and gravel can be poisoned by toxic ground and infect fish and birds.

In 1992 the cleaning of the seashore was stopped because “it was supposed that the level of oil decomposing is high enough for fast disappearing of all pollutions in few years” as it is said in the research.

The research was financed by special council organized by Exxon after the leakage.

 

January 15, 2010

Russian technical inspectorate approved negative resolution on building transshipment complex in Temruk

Federal service of ecological, technological and atomic inspectorate approved negative resolution of expert committee on government ecological examination of project documentation for new sea transshipment complex “Cuban river navigation” in the port Temruk in Krasnodarskij krai.

As it is told in the department message the respective decree was confirmed by the leaders of Russian technical inspectorate.

“Documentation doesn’t meet the requirements”, - it was explained in the service.

 

January 14, 2010

Imposing the moratorium on catching of sturgeon fish will be discussed by the countries nearby Kaspijskoe sea

The ability of imposing the moratorium on catching of sturgeon fish in Kaspij will be discussed in Iran at the end of January, according to the report of Urij Romashov, the chairmen of fishing industry in Ministry of agriculture.

“We received the invitation from Iran, where the 31st meeting of Kaspij water resources commission will take place and there this question will be officially included in the agenda”, - Romashov told on the press-conference on Tuesday when he was answering the question about promotion of Kazakhstan initiative to impose the moratorium on industrial catching of sturgeon fish in Kaspij sea.

This initiative was raised by Nursultan Nazarbaev, the president of Kazakhstan, in April last year during the official visit of Iran president in Kazakhstan. According to his words, Russia support this offer and has even imposed the moratorium on industrial export of sturgeon fish unilaterally, but still the catch didn’t really decrease.

Romashov also reported that nowadays countries nearby Kaspij sea are working out the project of five-sided agreement on saving and using Kaspij bioresources. “It isn’t ready to be accepted, but it contains the methodology of quota distribution, and if now five criteria are used for distribution, this project will add two more”, - Romashov made such conclusion.

 

January 13, 2010

Russian Railways is planning to increase investments in resource-conserving technologies

Open Society “RZD” is planning to invest 2,4 billion rubles in implementation of resource-conserving technologies in 2010, the company press-service informed. In 2009 1,8 billion rubles were directed on these purposes. “Realization of this program has allowed to save 24 billion rubles”, - is told in the message.

"Russian Federation has lack of legislative, financial and tax measures stimulating wide application of technologies which reduce ecological load and raise power efficiency of transport complex, - mark in the Russian Railways. In particular, it is necessary to prepare and make decisions on change of financing system of research and development, including changing of tax system in order to motivate appropriation of funds for these purposes".

The company has in view working out and statement of Federal Target Program on development of Russian diesel engines of new generation. In framework of this program the Russian Railways urges to create conditions for “stimulation of transfer of foreign technologies and industrial equipment”, and also financing of research and development, support of scientific and design engineering schools.

 

January 12, 2010

Ecologists remonstrate against dumping of snow into rivers and channels in Saint-Petersburg

Today, on the 12th of January, Greenpeace addressed to Administration of Russian consumer inspectorate in Saint-Petersburg with the declaration about administrative infringement of low. The reason of the letter sent in National Department was mass dumping of snow into rivers and channels in Saint-Petersburg.

In Greenpeace press service it is noted that “road services couldn’t cope with removal of snow last holidays and started to dump it into close-by water reservoirs. Such incidents were registered on Neva-river, Fontanka, Griboedov channel, Obvodnij channel. The information about these infringements still continues to appear. Such actions of authority break existing sanitary norms and damage already dirty Saint-Petersburg rivers.

Ecologists remind that snow on the streets of Russian megapolices are awfully polluted and contain the whole complex of toxic ingredients which got on roads with car exhaust fumes.

Moreover, snow is polluted with salt, rubber of tyres, petrol and oil. “For the present we use salt to struggle with ground surface icing, exhausts from transport don’t report to elementary safety norms, both snow and washout from the ground have to be cleaned before dumping into water”, - Dmitrij Artamonov, the head of Greenpeace department in Saint-Petersburg, commented.

As it was reminded in Greenpeace, according to sanitary norms, confirmed by the head sanitary inspector in Russia in June 2000, it is forbidden to dump pulp, snow, cube precipitations, other wasted and formed on the populated and industrial areas dust into water objects, the surface of ice covering and drained territory.

 

January 11, 2010

Most of Russians support the conversion on energy saving lamps

Most of Russians (80%) admits the importance of energy efficiency problem and 55% of Russians support the initiative of Dmitrij Medvedev, the president of Russian Federation, to move to energy saving lamps as it is said in survey of Russian Centre of Public Opinion Research.

In November 2009 the president signed the federal low about energy saving and increasing of energy efficiency. Particularly, this law imposes restrictions on incandescent lamps turnover and sets requirements on product labeling according to its energetic efficiency. Under this document it is supposed to stop producing and sailing incandescent lamps with power of 100 watt and more from 2011, with power of 75 watt and more – from 2013 and with power of 25 watt and more – from 2014. At the same time the government is offered to accept the rules of energy saving lamp utilization.

According to opinion-poll, 38% of Russians thinks that energy efficiency of economics is the fist problem that needs to be immediately solved, but, though 42% notes the importance of this problem, in conditions of crisis they are concentrating on other, more urgent problems. Each tenth respondent (11%) supposes that this topic doesn’t have anything in common with real tasks, 9% didn’t answer.

Initiative survey of Russian Centre of Public Opinion Research took place on 26 – 27th of December in 2009. There were asked 1600 people in 140 centers of population in 42 regions. Statistic errors are no more than 3,4%.

 

December 24, 2009

Germany has permitted Nord Stream pipeline construction

On December 23, 2009 German authorities has permitted construction of provoking arguments Baltic pipeline on coastal part as well as in German territorial waters. Environmental protection organization “World Wide Fund for Nature” (WWF) has demanded from Nord-Stream Project operator to entirety eliminate environmental damage expected as a result of construction.

With the exception of Germany, all other countries through whose territorial waters this pipeline will pass has already given their consent. These are Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Pipeline construction is able to begin in the near future in order, as it is expected, Russian natural gas by the end of 2011 can be transported to Greifswald.

 

December 23, 2009

40 percents of the Krasnoyarsk region residents doesn’t have an access to clean drinking water

About 40% of the Krasnoyarsk region residents are forced to drink regularly drinking water which doesn’t match to the sanitary standards.

This is conclusion of the regional accounting chamber which was represented at the regional legislature collection based on results of testing of funds usage which had been given on events in the sphere of waterworks usage and protection in 2006-2009.

Herewith water quality isn’t only the thing which cause fear, but some water objects do it too. According to experts significant part of waterworks are in pre-crash condition. Like that medium term of dam operation is 30-40 years, however, some objects functioning at the region has been operating more than 100 years. The main reason of the situation is frugal financing.

 

December 22, 2009

Alexey Gordeev, the governor of the Voronezh region is for environmental police development

There was raised up an issue about necessity of environmental police development in the Voronezh region at the weekly operative meeting with Alexey Gordeev, the governor of the Voronezh region, in December 21, 2009. The head of the region listened to the information about fulfillment course of his orders which he had given at last meetings. He paid special attention to reasons of unauthorized garbage landfill appearance in the green zone of Kominternovsky district.

Alexey Gordeev had got information and declared on necessity of environmental police development. According to the governor, it will help to clean up the waste management system and to fight with cluttering centers in Voronezh more effective.

 

December 21, 2009

Russia ratified Nord Stream

Russia is the fourth country among another five whose permissions are necessary for the Nord Stream development. Denmark issued permission on the project realization in October 20, 2009, Finland and Sweden in November 5, 2009.

Federal Service for Supervision in the sphere of nature of the Russian Federation issued permission on the Nord Stream development in December 18, 2009.

As Igor Maydanov, the deputy minister of natural resources and ecology of the Russian Federation, said, the Nord Stream AG company had provided compliance of the Nord Stream ecological standards completely.

Today it’s also expected an announcement of approval of Nord Stream development from Germany.

The Nord Stream will stretch on bottom of the Baltic sea from Vyborg (the Russian Federation) to Greifswald (Germany).

 

December 18, 2009

Ecological condition of the Volga river was discussed on the Federation Council

Participants of the Federation Council committee of nature resources and environment and first persons of the Tver Region government exchanged their views on issues connected with ecological condition of the Volga river. The meeting of the committee past within the framework of Tver Region Days in the Federation Council. Dmitry Zelenin, the governor of the Tver Region and Andrey Epishin, the chairman of the Tver Region Legislative Assembly took part in the occasion.

Vyacheslav Suyazov, the chairman of the permanent committee of economical, agrarian and industrial policy of the Tver Region Legislative Assembly made a report about ecological problems of the Tver region. He pointed out that the main ecological problems of the region are clogging soil with waste production and consumption, contamination of the water objects with not at all purified sewage, air pollution with different ejections.

Separate problem is orphan waterworks. To solve problems of normative and legal regulation in the sphere of manipulation with this objects. As for the Federation Council committee thought it is necessary to make additions and changes in the row of legislative acts. Specifically, in the Russian Federation Code «About administrative offenses» and in Federal Law «About safety of waterworks» in the part of establishment of entities responsibility and norms compliance and rules of operation on such objects.

 

December 17, 2009

A number of automobiles corresponded to EURO-4 standard will be increased to the 20% in 2015

20% of automobiles had registered in Saint-Petersburg would be corresponded to EURO-4 standard in 2015 and it was planned to increase this number to 80% in 2030. This statistics was submitted in the new Strategy of the transport and logistic complex of Saint-Petersburg development on period till 2030. Discussion of the strategy passed in December 16, 2009 on the meeting of the Saint-Petersburg governmental transport council. The project of changes to the document was represented by the Committee of transport and transit policy.

Besides, according to the strategy, there are planned next indexes of share contaminants ejection volumes into the environment: 257 thousands tones till 2015 and 277 thousands tones till 2030.

 

December 16, 2009

Sergey Kogogin, the general director of the KAMAZ JSC, made a report on the Parliamentary hearings in the State Duma of the Russian Federation in Desember 15, 2009

The meeting was dedicated to issues of legislative insurance of the automobile industry of Russia development.

Sergey Kogogin introduced a report about measures of production equipment with modern and ecological secure automobile techniques. Specifically, he advanced arguments of necessity of more active government regularity of ecologic processes and problems solution in automobile transport security in modern conditions.

By the general director of the KAMAZ JSC thought, it’s necessary to see in the «day after tomorrow» right now not to loose finally domestic automobile industry and insure consumers with qualitative and ecological techniques.

Participants of the meeting summarized prior results of 2009, had discussed current problems of the domestic automobile production, and pointed out importance of legislative changes in this sphere.

 

December 15, 2009

Kyoto Protocol will be realized in the Chelyabinsk region

Petr Sumin, the governor of the Chelyabinsk region charged to develop a workgroup which would begin a development of recommendations to the federal centre of the Kyoto Protocol regulations realization in issues of carbon dioxide utilization.

In all six enterprises will work by the Protocol. Magnitogorsk and Chelyabinsk metallurgical complexes, Achinsk and Zlatoust metallurgical works and heat electropower station-3 have already worked out investment projects of carbon dioxide utilization.

Yuriy Klepov, the deputy governor, will be at the head of the workgroup. Vladimir Elistratov, the Minister of the industry and Gennadiy Podtesov, the Minister of the radiation and ecological security will enter the Group.

As for statistics, yearly there are discharged more than 63 millions tones of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere of the Chelyabinsk region. Utilization of one tone of carbon dioxide approximately costs 8-12 euro.

 

December 14, 2009

There was allocated 2,5 millions euro on the sewage treatment of the Baltic sea in the network of the «Baltazar» project

As of today equally with industry, navigation and fishing the most dangerous problem of the Baltic sea is the flux of the nutrients into the sea. The main source of the nutrients is rural economy. In this connection there was developed «Baltazar» project aimed at the lowering of the flux of dangerous and agricultural waste products in Baltic region.

The project, in which three regions as Kaliningrad, Leningrad Region and Saint-Petersburg had been included, was discussed at the next work meeting of the Helsinki commission of the Baltic sea pollution.

The «Baltazar» project will be realized under the chairmanship of Russia in the HELCOM (The commission of the Baltic sea protection) in the period from February 2009 till February 2011. Saint-Petersburg public organization «Ecology and business» responsible for the collaboration on region and federal level will act as the Russian partner.

 

December 11, 2009

The first International conference “St.Petersburg — the Sea Capital of RUSSIA. Ecology” organized within the framework of the “UNITED RUSSIA” Party Project “St. Petersburg - the Sea Capital of RUSSIA” will be held in St. Petersburg on March 17-18, 2010. The purpose of the conference is to involve Russia's business community to the problems of ecology and to form a unified ecological-oriented public policy in the sphere of environmental protection.

The priority points of the conference are discussion of topical issues concerning the improvement of environmental situation in large and port cities of Russia, searching the ways of reduction of human impact on the country's natural resources, enhancing of the investment prospects of ecologically responsible companies. The measures of environmental culture development in Russia will be also worked out in the course of the conference. Additionally, it is planned to make a separate plenary session for discussing of ecology improving in transport sphere.

Chief executives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation and the institutions subordinated to the Ministry, as also the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Transport, heads of the largest industrial, motor-car constructive, bunker and transport-logistical companies, representatives of incinerators and waste processing plants, members of environmental associations and unions of the Russian Federation and many others are invited for taking part in the conference.

Forming of the new policy oriented towards ecology, which activate investment attractiveness of ecology responsible companies, will help to improve results of the nature conservation programs.