Sergey Baranovsky, President of Russian Green Cross, academic, professor, doctor of technical sciences

— Even Green Peace representatives got access to the information that was generally inaccessible to public organizations

On Feb 7 Sosnovy Bor (satellite-town of Leningrad NPP) hosted public hearings of the materials on the possible impacts of the LNPP-2 project on the environment of the region. Over 800 people attended the hearings: residents of Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad region and St. Petersburg, politicians, public figures, journalists, deputies, state and municipal officials, directors of companies and even US, Finnish, Swedish and Estonian diplomats. A number of experts have commended on the results of the hearings and the prospects of energy development in the North-Western region.

It was very important that such representative and comprehensive hearings were organized for such a vital problem for the residents and the environment of Leningrad region and the whole North-Western part of Russia. It was an example of full-value dialogue with civil society, represented by radical, ecological and public organizations of the region and Russia such as Green Peace, Green Cross, Beluna and local ecological organizations. We have heard the views of almost all major parties of Russia: United Russia, Yabloko and others.

This is an extremely controversial “stratum” of the civil society: one camp is absolutely “pro,” the other – absolutely “contra.” However, more rational part of the society shows a professional approach to the problem.

This is an excellent example of how people can get first-hand information. In other words, the audience got the information from the first hand: from the people and organizations that carried out the assessment of the project’s ecological impacts and will carry out the project itself. This will be followed by a state ecological examination, while the public will be allowed to take part in an independent ecological examination. This is a drastically new approach. 

I think that it would be very good if other regions too carry out such representative public hearings before starting potentially dangerous nuclear projects. I would like to note that even Green Peace got access to the information that was generally inaccessible to public organizations. And now they can familiarize themselves with all the details of the project. It is really good when highly-qualified people are allowed to lay well-grounded claims. On the one hand, this alleviates the general tension, on the other, it shows that we all are moving towards really active civil society – society that takes part and can influence the life of its country.

I could not imagine such things under previous ministers.