UXO Concerns Raised Again Over Underwater Pipeline Project

Helsinki, Finland The Environment Ministry is requesting more information and details on the potential environmental impacts of the planned Baltic Sea gas pipeline including impacts resulting from disturbances and potential explosions from underwater UXO before they will consider to allow the project to move forward in Finnish waters. They are also demanding that Russia make available its own environmental assessment of the pipeline.

The 750-mile pipeline planned between Russia and Germany will carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas from Russian fields to Western Europe once complete. Portions of the proposed pipeline path go through suspected munitions dump sites and also areas containing UXO from previous wars. Concerns have been raised over potential explosive safety hazards as well as hazards from munitions constituents including the potential for CWM.