Environmental impact report for Rail Baltic route in Pärnu County approved

TALLINN - Estonia's Climate Minister Yoko Alender has approved the strategic environmental assessment report for the Rail Baltic spatial plan for Pärnu County, which outlines measures to mitigate the environmental impacts associated with the construction of the railway.

The report shows that the planning and construction of Rail Baltic takes into account nature conservation needs, the minister said in a press release.

"Rail Baltic will create a fast, convenient, and low-carbon connection to Europe. This is important for us from the perspective of people, the economy, and security. In addition, it is a good example of how nature has been preserved in the construction of a large infrastructure project," she said.

The Supreme Court annulled part of the Rail Baltic Pärnu County route in 2020 on the grounds that the accompanying impacts on the Luitemaa bird area adjacent to the route had not been sufficiently assessed. Now, the impacts have been reassessed and the location of the route corridor has been slightly changed. In total, around 300 measures were developed to mitigate the impacts of the railway on both people and the natural environment.

The approval of the strategic environmental assessment report creates one of the prerequisites for the endorsement of the county spatial plan in the first half of 2025 and also for starting the construction of the railway in the southern part of Pärnu County in the coming years.

At the beginning of the new year, the government will be asked to approve a Natura derogation and compensatory measures. These will include creating new habitats for capercaillies, providing courting grounds in surrounding woodland, establishing buffer zones and maintaining the green network. Monitoring measures will be implemented to assess the effectiveness of the compensation measures.