Nord Stream Environmental Impact Assessment Documentation for Consultation under the Espoo Convention Nord Stream Espoo Report: Key Issue Paper Natura 2000 February 2009 English version Key Issue Paper Natura 2000 ENG Please note: The “Nord Stream environmental impact assessment documentation for consultation under the Espoo Convention” will, hereinafter and throughout the entire documentation as submitted hereunder, be referred to as the “Nord Stream Espoo Report” or the “Espoo Report”. The English version of the Nord Stream Espoo Report has been translated into 9 relevant languages (hereinafter referred to as the "Translations") . In the event that any of the Translations and the English version conflict, the English version shall prevail. ENG Table of contents Side 1 Introduction 5 2 Summary of the Assessment Methodology 7 3 Assessment of Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Sites in Finland 9 4 Assessment of Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Sites in Sweden 15 5 Assessment of Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Sites in Denmark 19 6 Assessment of Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Sites in Germany 24 7 Assessment of Potential Cumulative Impacts 36 8 Assessment of Potential Transboundary Impacts 36 ENG ENG 5 1 Introduction Biodiversity – the immense variety of life on Earth – is what makes our planet not only habitable but beautiful. The need to conserve and protect biodiversity is recognised as a key policy objective at international and national level. One key way of achieving this goal is the creation of protected areas that help to conserve both natural habitats and plant and animal species. For this purpose, the Natura 2000 network of nature protection areas across Europe was set up under the European Union’s Habitats Directive in 1992. The network also includes areas conserving bird species according to the European Union’s Birds Directive of 1979. Natura 2000 sites are not by strict definition nature reserves where all human activities are excluded, rather they are areas that have been identified as being important wildlife habitats and as such should be managed in a way that ensures that biodiversity is maintained. The purpose of the Natura 2000 network is to maintain habitats and species to "favourable conservation status" in their natural range. The three types of areas and sites that form the Natura 2000 network are as follows: Special Protection Areas (SPAs): areas conserving bird species listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive as well as migratory birds Special Areas of Conservation (SACs): areas conserving habitat types and animal and plant species listed under the Habitats Directive Site of community interest (SCI): areas that can contribute to conservation or restore a habitat to favourable status Nord Stream has recognised the importance of the EU Natura 2000 network in the design and development of its project. The Nord Stream pipeline route is planned to be located in the vicinity of, and also to cross several sites within the Natura 2000 network. Therefore, these areas and the habitats and species they protect have been a key element of the surveys and research carried out by Nord Stream during the design of the pipelines route. Nord Stream’s vision is to build and operate its pipeline safely and with no significant effects on biodiversity and nature conservation i.e. no irreversible losses or damage to either species or habitats. ENG Figure 1.1 below provides an overview of Natura 2000 sites along the route of the Nord Stream Project. LEGEND Nature Protection Area Nord Stream Route 5 km Distance to Nord Stream Route 20 km Distance to Nord Stream Route Figure 1.1 Map of all Natura 2000 Sites along the Pipeline Route A detailed analysis of potential impacts on Natura 2000 sites is included in each of the national application documents prepared by Nord Stream for EU member states, in which legislation regarding Natura 2000 sites applies: Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. A more detailed summary of these analyses can be found# in chapter 10 of the Espoo document provided by Nord Stream. This document provides a short summary of the assessment carried out by the Project on Natura 2000 sites and its results, in order to make this information easily accessible. It includes a short explanation of the methodology used (2), an assessment of Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Sites in Finland (3), in Sweden (4), in Denmark (5) and in Germany (6). It concludes with an assessment of Potential Cumulative Impacts (7), as well as of Potential Transboundary Effects (8). ENG 7 2 Summary of the Assessment Methodology The Project has carried out a thorough analysis of potential impacts that might result from the construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of the Nord Stream pipeline on Natura 2000 areas. This assessment of potential impacts focuses on the extent to which the project could have any likely significant effects on the designation criteria and the conservation objectives of the sites. Selection Criteria for the Assessment of Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Areas In order to determine, which Natura 2000 sites might potentially be impacted by the project and therefore were to be included in the analysis carried out by Nord Stream, the Project established criteria: indirect effects from construction of the pipeline might reach up to 20 kilometres. Therefore, Nord Stream assessed all sites within a corridor of 20 kilometres on both sides of the pipelines. Since potential impacts differ according to the specific designation criteria and conservation objectives of each site, and after discussions with relevant national authorities, Nord Stream refined this criteria and decided to include certain sites that lie beyond this corridor (at least for an initial assessment e.g. in Denmark), and also to exclude sites even though they are located within the 20 kilometres corridor. Sites were excluded where an initial evaluation concluded that no potential physical impacts or impacts on species were likely to occur. As a consequence, the Nord Stream impact assessment has looked in detail at a total of 27 Natura 2000 sites lying within 20 kilometres of the pipeline route. Of these, the pipeline crosses six sites, lies within 5 kilometres of a further four sites, and lies within 20 kilometres of 17 sites. This detailed assessment, carried out for potentially affected Natura 2000 areas in terms of its designation criteria and conservation objectives, includes the following information: Natura 2000 standard information sheets Map information Information on EU Habitat Directive and Bird Directive species and habitats that have been identified as grounds for designation of Natura 2000 areas Results from field surveys conducted by Nord Stream AG (i.e., habitat mapping outside Natura 2000 areas, surveys of sea birds and marine mammals and benthic surveys) Modelling data on sediment spreading Identification of Potential Impacts from Project Activities The categories of impacts that have been used to assess the potential effects of the Nord Stream project on Natura 2000 sites, habitats and species are presented in Table 2.1 below. ENG The Potential impacts have been assessed as interactions between planned activities and receptors. The impacts are divided into impacts during construction and operation. Table 2.1 Potential Impacts between planned activities(1) and receptors Project Receptors Impact Activity phase Munitions clearance Rock placement Suspension of sediments, nutrients Dredging and contaminants and re- Ploughing sedimentation of released sediments Offshore pipelaying (including effects on the food chain) Hyperbaric tie-in Anchor handling Construction Munitions clearance Rock placement Dredging Protected Noise and visual disturbance from Ploughing areas increased vessel movement Pipe supply Offshore pipelaying Hyperbaric tie-in Anchor handling Pipe on seabed and gas Noise from gas flowing flowing Monitoring and surveying Operation Disturbance from supply traffic and Restriction zone rock placement Maintenance rock placement as required In carrying out the assessment of potential effects on individual sites, the Project has ensured that the specific requirements of the key species and habitats present and the factors affecting the conservation status of a site have been addressed. The methodology has been adapted on the basis of the legal requirements and discussions with stakeholders in each State. (1) No potential impacts on Natura 2000 sites have been identified for the commissioning and decommissioning phases of the project. ENG 9 3 Assessment of Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Sites in Finland In Finland the assessment of potential impacts on Natura 2000 sites has been conducted using the methodology defined and suggested for carrying out a “preliminary Natura 2000 assessment”, as described in the Finnish Environment Institutes guidelines “Biodiversity impact assessment in regional planning, environmental impact assessment and Natura 2000 assessment”. The basis for selecting this methodology was that no protected area is crossed by the pipeline and the measured distance between the impact source (i.e. the pipelines and rock placement areas along the pipelines’ route) and the protected areas (10 kilometres) is considerable. LEGEND Nature Protection Area Nord Stream Route 5 km Distance to Nord Stream Route 20 km Distance to Nord Stream Route Figure 3.1 The Finnish Natura 2000 areas in the Gulf of Finland ENG Potentially Affected Natura 2000 Sites in Finland Initially, the scope of the assessment covered all sites within a 20 kilometre corridor around the route of the pipelines. As a result of consultations with the relevant authorities additional Finnish Natura 2000 sites were included in the initial assessment of potential impacts because of their relative proximity to the proposed pipeline route. The 9 Finnish Natura 2000 sites within the scope of the national assessment cover 287,808 hectares, representing 5.9 per cent of the area covered by all Finnish Natura 2000 sites. All Åland Natura 2000 areas are located more than 50 kilometres away from the pipeline and were therefore excluded from the assessment. A detailed map of Natura 2000 areas is presented in Atlas Map PA-2-F.