Environmental group files complaint to stop Nord Stream 2 in Finland
Pipes for Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Kotka, Finland (Photo: Gazprom)
Environmental campaign group ClientEarth on Monday said it had submitted a complaint to a Finnish court seeking to stop the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline through Finnish waters citing the risk of serious harm to marine life.
Finland approved the pipeline last month and the pipeline's operator started preparatory work shortly after that.
The work involves detonating World War Two bombs on the sea floor along the pipeline's proposed route and ClientEarth said that could cause serious harm to porpoises, seals and birds.
A Nord Stream spokeswoman said the project organisation would examine the complaint, but added that it had agreed with Finnish authorities on mitigation measures to reduce the impact on marine life.
The proposed pipeline between Russia and Germany, owned by Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom, is set to cross around 375 km of Finland's economic zone through the Baltic Sea.
Like Finland, Germany has also approved the pipeline. The project is currently collecting permits from Russia, Sweden and Denmark.
Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines (Image: Gazprom)
(Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; editing by Jason Neely)
