Nord Stream 2 Releases Finnish EEZ Monitoring Report

Nord Stream 2 AG has released a report on the impacts of Nord Stream 2 pipeline construction activities in the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone during 2018.

According to the monitoring report, the impacts were minor, limited and short-term.

Nord Stream 2’s Finnish monitoring is part of the long-term monitoring programme developed for the project.

National monitoring programmes were prepared in each of the five countries through whose waters the pipeline runs. In order to fulfil the permit conditions in each country, the relevant authorities were consulted before construction.

The monitored receptors reflect the local environmental conditions.

Construction activities in the Finnish EEZ in 2018 included munitions clearance, rock placement, mattress installation at cable and pipeline crossings, and pipelay of the first of the two pipelines.

Monitoring of water quality was performed at two rock placement sites assessed to have biggest impacts. This was to monitor displaced seabed sediments causing cloudiness, known as turbidity in the water.

The Annual Monitoring Report 2018 compares monitoring results with the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the permit applications. It also includes comparisons to the Nord Stream monitoring results, the company noted.

The report was prepared by the independent environmental consultancy Sitowise. The environmental monitoring fieldwork contractor Luode Consulting monitored underwater noise as well as water quality and currents during construction works.

Monitoring activities were performed in line with the Finnish Environmental Monitoring Programme, approved as part of the Water Permit granted by the Regional State Administrative Agency Southern Finland in April 2018.