On Thursday 12 June the Estonian government approved the draft version of the “National Development Plan for the Use of Oil Shale 2008-2015”, which deals with the mining and use of one of the country’s most nationally significant resources for the first time in Estonia, primarily taking the state’s interests into account. This led to a situation in which permits for the mining of almost 24 million tonnes of oil shale per year had been issued by 2005, with applications for the mining of an additional 26 million tonnes also being received. All valid applications had to be processed, and there was practically no legal basis for refusing to issue permits. In order to designate the state’s interests the government decided to instigate the production of a development plan, and in March 2006 the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, approved an amendment to the Earth’s Crust Act calling for a halt to the processing of applications for permits to mine oil shale until the endorsement of the national development plan for the use of the resource. “The draft plan states very clearly that the national interest lies in ensuring an uninterrupted supply of electricity and heating energy and valued oil shale products for Estonia’s consumers,” Tamkivi emphasised. He added that the best possible technology must be applied in the mining and processing of oil shale, and that both it and the natural resources that accompany it must be used in an economical way, producing as little negative environmental and social impact as possible. “We have to do everything we can to make sure that our oil shale lasts, because if it does it will ensure our energy security and sustainable development,” the minister said. The annual limit on mining of oil shale is established in the draft as up to 20 million tonnes, although concrete steps are also being taken to gradually reduce this volume. The target set out in the development plan is that the upper limit on mining of oil shale will be 15 million tonnes per annum by 2015. As the permits which have been issued currently allow oil shale to be mined in amounts even larger than 20 million tonnes, the ministry reached an agreement with mining companies for the reduction of these amounts. In order for the maximum mining volume and the justifications for refusing to issue mining permits to be legal, the Ministry of the Environment produced a draft amendment to the Earth’s Crust and Sustainable Development Acts alongside the draft of the development plan which was also approved by the government today. The basis for the production of the national development plan for the use of oil shale was the ‘Long-term Public Fuel and Energy Sector Development Plan until 2015’. Involved in the development plan’s production with the Ministry of the Environment were the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Research. The working group behind the development plan was led by Anto Raukas from the Estonian Academy of Sciences, with representatives from the public and interest groups also involved. Produced at the same time as the draft was a strategic evaluation report on its environmental impact, compiled under the guidance of Valdur Lahtvee, MP and then director of the Tallinn branch of the Stockholm Environment Institute. The draft version of the National Development Plan for the Use of Oil Shale 2008-2015, its implementation plan, the strategic assessment reports on environmental impact and the amendments to the Earth’s Crust Act passed through the e-law channel for approval prior to being submitted to the government, during which the ministries made around 30 proposals for their improvement. For example, provisions were introduced to the development plan further emphasising the need for the best possible technology to be applied in the mining of oil shale, for the promotion of applied research and product development in the field of oil shale and for greater attention to be turned to the protection of the living environment and people’s health. The amendments made to the development plan can be viewed on the Ministry of the Environment’s website at http://www.envir.ee/232764. The Riigikogu will have the final word on both the development plan and the amendments to the act. For further information please contact: |
