Press release 13 February 2008
Ministry of the Environment

Additional information needed for Government to examine applications for gas pipeline in Baltic Sea

Key information is missing from Nord Stream´s applications for permission to build a gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea. There is a significant amount of additional information required for the Government to be able to examine the applications. The applications must be supplemented with an environmental impact assessment of the entire stretch of the pipelines through the Baltic Sea, the results of the investigations conducted and information on alternative routes for the entire stretch of the pipelines. A request for the additional information has today been sent to Nord Stream.

Nord Stream has applied for permission to build a maintenance platform and to lay two parallel gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea for the transportation of natural gas from Russia to Germany. The Government received the permit applications on 21 December 2007. The applications are being processed in accordance with the international conventions that Sweden has undertaken to follow, as well as with the Continental Shelf Act and the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone Act. The Government Offices has now examined the applications from Nord Stream.

The Government Offices considers that the applications are incomplete. Key information is missing. As is stated in the letter that has been sent to Nord Stream, the application documents need to be supplemented with:

- an environmental impact assessment of the entire stretch of the pipelines, and the results of the cross-border consultations in accordance with the Esbo Convention.
- the results and conclusions of ongoing and planned investigations and inquiries.
- information on alternative routes for the entire stretch of the pipelines, alternative locations for the maintenance platform and the possibility that the project does not materialise (`zero alternative´).
- detailed and in-depth material in the technical description and in the environmental impact assessment in the maintenance platform application.

"The Government will conduct a very comprehensive and thorough environmental assessment of how the project would affect the Baltic Sea environment. We have been clear in stating that we require high-quality background material and information on alternative routes for the entire stretch of pipeline," says Minister of the Environment Andreas Carlgren.

"The applications must be accurate, specific and well-founded for the Government to be able to assess the impact on the environment and examine whether permission should be granted. The company has full responsibility for ensuring that the applications and the environmental impact assessments meet the high quality requirements set," says Mr Carlgren.