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EBRD screened the project A/0 requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) and public consultation.
Summary of Environmental Impact Assessment:
Construction of the Barrier commenced in 1980 but was curtailed in 1987 due to
public concern at that time that the Barrier would have a negative impact on
the environment. An International Commission determined in 1990 that the
impact of the Barrier on the environment was neutral. EBRD screened the
project A/0 requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and public
consultation. The EIA was carried out in 2001-2002 by Nedeco-WL Delft
Hydraulics, a Dutch environmental consultancy, on behalf of Gosstroy, the
implementing agency.
The main conclusions of the EIA are the following:
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The city has flooded approximately once a year for the past 300 years and
about twice a year in the last 20 years;
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The completion and operation of the Barrier are designed to meet relevant
Russian and EU environmental, health and safety standards:
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At present, the water quality in Neva Bay is poor primarily due to inadequate
waste water treatment in St Petersburg;
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The environmental investigations have shown that the completion of the Barrier
will have no significant impact on the water quality in the Neva Bay and the
adjacent Gulf of Finland; and
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The safety of navigation to and from the ports will increase.
These conclusions agree with those of earlier studies, notably the Report of
International Commission (1990) and the St Petersburg Flood Protection Barrier
Pre-Feasibility Report (GIBB, 1997)
The Environmental Impact Assessment and its Executive Summaries are disclosed
for public review and comments at Gosstroy’s offices in Moscow and St
Petersburg, public libraries in St Petersburg and EBRD’s St Petersburg RO and
the Business Information Centre in London for a 120 days public consultation
period in accordance with EBRD’s Environmental Procedures and EBRD’s Public
Information Policy. An exposition on the results of the EIA will be held in
St. Petersburg, Hall of Investment Projects, Ploshad Ostrovskovo, 11 on 17-18
July 2002, and in the House of Scientists, Dvortsovaya naberezhnaya, 26, on 19
July 2002 with a public meeting at 1:00 p.m.
The full EIA report can be viewed at www.gosstroy.gov.ru.
There is an Environmental Impact Assesment available for this project.
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