OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 April 2008 was announced, that the ESPO second stage environmental impact assessment was started by “Transneft”. Pre-construction public hearings prescribed by the legislation will be organized in the populated areas to be crossed by the trunk pipeline. Every proposal and comment of the discussers will be considered at the construction stage.

According to the preliminary design the ESPO-2 route will go within the territories of the Amur and Jewish Autonomous Regions of the Khabarovsk and Primorsk territories. The pipeline linear part will be 1963 km long. The pipeline will cross about 70 water bodies particularly the it is planned to go along the bed of Amur river. The 324 km long pipeline route in the Jewish Autonomous Region is designed with consideration for the region’s unique ecology. The pipeline will stretch 15 km from the drinking water deposit exercising no effect to the hydrology of the unique pure water reservoir.

“Transneft” sees its key priorities in the ecological safety of the infrastructural facilities and the environment conservation during the construction of the Eastern oil pipeline. The company will take a range of measures to guarantee the safety of the site in the course of construction and later during the operation. Utilization of the overstable pipes, regular monitoring automation systems, formation of the immediate response troubleshooting teams and application of other up-to-date process solutions ensuring the complete safety of the ESPO-2 are among such measures.