Russia's Pipeline Monopoly Planning To Sue Watchdogs If Plan Rejected

[hatrack]

MOSCOW - Russia's pipeline monopoly Transneft may sue ecologists and state watchdogs if they reject a plan to build Russia's first pipeline to Asia, Transneft's president Semyon Vainshtok said in an interview. Vainshtok said the $11.5 billion pipeline, which is due to pump up to 1.6 million barrels per day to China and Japan, was not only ecologically safe, but was crucial for Russia to speed up development of remote and poor East Siberian regions.

The pipeline, due to run from East Siberia to the Pacific coast, would hook round the northern end of Baikal - the world's deepest lake and home to hundreds of endemic species including a rare fresh water seal. Scientists who conducted the state assessment of the plan said last week the pipeline could cause permanent damage to the unique wildlife of Baikal and must be stopped.

"I think that common sense will prevail. But our lawyers are already working on a possible suit. They (state watchdogs) will have to prove that we have violated something," said Vainshtok.

The appraisal by scientists has yet to be approved by managers of the Rostekhnadzor environmental watchdog. If they back the assessment, Transneft will have to move from its current route which would run 800 metres from the lake. Scientists say nothing can protect the pipeline from the frequent earthquakes that make the lake wider every year.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/34760/story.htm

[Oerdin]

1. A pipeline can be made safely.

Though I doubt the Russian government would bother to do it any way but the cheapest and most unsafe way.

[Boomer]

2. Safe even from earthquakes?

That's a pretty stringent requirement.