Dredging in Gulf of Finland in Controversy
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
The massive dredging project, which is under-way on the bottom of the Gulf of Finland in Russia, reportedly a threat to the environment.
But federal environmental protection agency of Russia, Rosprirodnadzor, has affirmed that it does not have a trans-boundary impact on water quality.
Local media reported that the amount of dredging required for the Port of Bronka, a deepwater port under construction south of Kronstadt, is so high that the cloudiness of the water is discernible from space, with recent satellite pictures showing that the cloudy water has dispersed dozens of kilometres west on the Gulf of Finland.
Dredging increases the cloudiness of water and can result in the release of nutrients from the seabed into the sea currents. Toxins absorbed by the seabed can similarly be released into the water.
Environmental authorities in Finland admitted to being surprised by the amount of seabed to be dredged as part of the project – a maximum of 28 million cubic metres.
Rosprirodnadzor on 8 October responded to a written request for comment on the impact of the dredging sent by Helsingin Sanomat on 1 October.
The staff of the environmental protection agency are regularly monitoring the construction site and have examined satellite photos of the sea, it tells. All of the environmental requirements set forth in the construction plans have also been taken into account in the project, according to the agency.