Transneft says repairs to Yaroslavl-Moscow pipeline hindered by bureaucrats, homes
Repairs to the section of the Yaroslavl-Moscow trunk oil pipeline are being hindered by bureaucrats and owners of cottages located along the pipeline
AFP
Repairs to the section of the Yaroslavl-Moscow trunk oil pipeline that passes through the Losiny Ostrov national park are being hindered by bureaucrats and owners of cottages located along the pipeline, the spokesman for oil pipeline monopoly Transneft, Igor Demin told Interfax.
The company believes that “bureaucrats are provoking a manmade catastrophe similar to what happened with the cruise ship Bulgaria.” It has not been possible to resolve the issue of repairing the oil pipeline for two years, despite the involvement of managers, ministries, agencies and the government, Demin said.
He said the “process is being held up for completely insignificant, purely administrative reasons: the absence of a consenting signature, delays in the approval process.”
“This process could drag on for years,” Demin said.
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on March 27 sent the Justice Ministry a decree to approve regulations on the national park, Transneft documents state. The Justice Ministry, in turn, returned the decree to the Natural Resources Ministry because the regulations on the national park need to be endorsed by the governments of Moscow and the Moscow Region.
The Natural Resources Ministry, however, says that the law does not require this in preparation and approval of regulations on national parks.
Meanwhile, Transneft has asked environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor and the Prosecutor General to look into the legality of building cottages in Losiny Ostrov right next to the oil pipeline. The company believes that this is the reason that the decision to repair the pipeline has been held up.
The Natural Resources Ministry, in turn, says it has information that there has been illegal construction in the national park, and it has also initiated an investigation into economic entities and construction projects in the park. The ministry has submitted a statement to the Moscow Region prosecutor concerning possible violations within the Schitnikovo (Balashikha) quarter and illegal construction of cottages.
According to the Natural Resources Ministry, a cottage community is located on land in Balashikha that was included within the borders of the national park without being taken out of economic circulation. The ministry said that the allocation of land plots within the Schitnikovo quarter is within the jurisdiction of the Balashikha city administration. Furthermore, allocation of land is not socioeconomic activity of economic entities, so it does not have to be cleared with the Natural Resources Ministry.
As reported earlier, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry sent a resolution concerning the Losiny Ostrov national park to the Justice Ministry for registration. The resolution would include this section of the Yaroslavl-Moscow pipeline in the economic zone of the park where construction, overhaul, repair and operation of commercial and residential facilities is permitted.
It was reported earlier that Transneft could suspend crude shipments to the Moscow Oil Refinery along the Yaroslavl-Moscow pipeline due to the poor condition of the section of pipeline that passes through the Losiny Ostrov national park. Transneft said this section of pipeline is in critical condition, but the company has been unable to do repair work within the park because it is a preserve and special authorization is needed.
Crude is supplied to the Moscow refinery along two pipelines: Yaroslavl-Moscow and Ryazan-Moscow, each supplying about the same amount.
Moscow Oil Refinery supplies about 40% of the oil product needs of the Moscow region.