Greenpeace passed proposals for improvement of environmental legislation in the oil industry to the State Duma. According to the organization, at a hearing in the Committee on Natural Resources of the State Duma environmentalists spoke about the legal gaps in environmental legislation regulating the production, transportation of oil and reclamation of soil after contamination, and came up with problem-solving proposals. Environmentalists of the Republic of Komi indirectly participated in its preparation.
One of the oil spills not far from Nizhny Odes, September, 2013. Photo: Ivan Ivanov
The representative of the Save the Pechora Committee NGO Valentina Semyashkina explained: a few months ago they sent a letter to the RF Ministry of Natural Resources. Among other proposals to improve legislation in the oil industry, activists have proposed to add reservoir waters to the Federal Classificatory Catalogue of Wastes, which are dangerous in its effects on the environment and derived from recovery of oil from petroleum-containing fluid.
Photo: Maxim Polyakov
Greenpeace knows what is happening in the Republic of Komi — on Jarega, for example — where oilers can pour these aggressive oil sludges into ponds as much as they wish as yet. Environmentalists from Greenpeace contacted us and asked to clarify position on these matters, and we did it. It’s a normal practice for them to consult with the regional environmental organizations,” Valentina Semyashkina said.
While waters generated during oil and gas production are not included in the FCCW, regulatory authorities can’t actually impose sanctions set in the legislation to unscrupulous economic entities.
The package of proposals was sent to the chairman of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin and chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources Vladimir Kashin with a request to initiate amendments to the legislation.
Yaroslava Parkhacheva, «7x7»
Original: http://7x7-journal.ru/item/38821
