Russia sees elimination of Norilsk fuel spill damage until 2025

MOSCOW, Aug 4 (PRIME) -- Russian metals giant Norilsk Nickel has presented a government-wide draft plan for elimination of consequences of a recent fuel spill to the Civic Chamber, and works are planned to be done until 2025, Yelena Sharoikina, head of the chamber’s ecology and environment commission, told PRIME on Tuesday.

“The draft plan of measures for elimination of consequences of the Norilsk accident was submitted by Norilsk Nickel at our request. An interdepartmental commission of the Natural Resources Ministry developed the document. This is a draft, and we discussed it at a meeting of the Civic Chamber, we had many issues with it. We will prepare a list of issues, we will have published and sent it to the Natural Resources Ministry by September 1,” she said.

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.

(74.1586 rubles – U.S. $1)

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