Putin signs Norilsk Nickel accident compensation bill

MOSCOW, Jul 31 (PRIME) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a bill allowing the government to transfer the compensation metals giant Norilsk Nickel paid for a fuel spill liquidation as federal budget revenue, according to a relevant document released on the official portal of legal information on Friday.

Under the current law, a company that causes environmental harm can pay compensation to a local budget but this approach creates management issues, Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Lavrov said earlier.

A fuel tank at Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company, part of Norilsk Nickel group, lost pressure on May 29 and leaked out 21,000 tonnes of fuel and lubricants into the river Ambarnaya, causing a fire.

The Federal Service for Natural Resources Oversight earlier assessed the damage inflicted on the environment by the spill at 147.7 billion rubles, but Norilsk Nickel disputed the amount of damage and said it would make an independent expertise.

(73.3633 rubles – U.S. $1)

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