The operational programme focuses on activities and financial means necessary in the first four years (2009–2012), but also forecasts the value of the development plan until 2015. The most important strategic objectives, which the operational programme has to contribute to, is to guarantee Estonia's supply with oil shale energy and to ensure Estonia's energetic independence, to increase the efficiency of oil shale extraction and use and to reduce impact thereof on the environment. At the same time, the yearly maximum extraction volume should not exceed 20 million tons. The Ministry of the Environment will be responsible for the activities specified in the development plan in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Research. For example, the conditions for issuing extraction permits and many other legal regulations have to be changed, applied research should be carried out and product development should be promoted, the principles of environmental charges have to be reviewed, special measures of environmental protection should be implemented, the recultivation of extracted areas optimised and the negative socio-demographic influence in the oil shale basin and its area of influence decreased, etc. According to forecast, 33.1 million kroons will be spent on the implementation of the national oil shale development plan in the period of 2009-2015. The predicted cost of the activities needed for implementing the strategy will be 25.9 million in the period of 2009-2012 and 7.2 million kroons in 2013-2015. Financing will mainly be based on the state budget. According to the plan, enhancing and supporting applied research in the field of oil shale will also be financed by companies concerned. The operational programme of the oil shale development plan will contribute to economical use of oil shale, improvement of the state of the environment and, thus, also to the improvement of human health. Financial income will be accrued in the state budget by implementing the ecological tax reform and through environmental taxes. "The National Development Plan for the Use of Oil Shale 2008-2015" was approved in the Riigikogu on 21 October 2008. The objectives set in the development plan are consistent with the Estonian National Development Plan For Energy Sector 2020 and Development Plan of the Estonian Electricity Sector 2008-2018, and the measures proposed in the draft operational programme contribute to implementing these development plans.
Additional information: (28/05/2009) |
