Court to review lawsuit against ministry on Sakhalin II probe
A Moscow district court will review Tuesday a lawsuit filed by the Russian environmental watchdog against the Natural Resources Ministry over the annulment of the 2003 environmental review for the massive Sakhalin II oil and gas project in Russia's Far East, RIA Novosti reports.
The project, led by Anglo-Dutch oil major Shell, has met with strong opposition from environmental groups and authorities over accusations of inadequate safety, massive volumes of waste disposal, seismic threats, erosion, and threats to marine life.
On September 18, the ministry annulled its own 2003 Sakhalin Environmental Expert Review (SEER), which gave the project a positive evaluation, following action from prosecutors. But it has not formally implemented the decision.
"The draft document on the annulment of the environmental review of the Sakhalin II project has not been approved [by the environmental protection service]," said Dmitry Kolosov, a spokesman for the Federal Service for the Oversight of Natural Resources. "We will insist [in court] that the annulment be formally implemented."
