On Thursday, 10 March, the Government of the Republic approved the National Development Plan for Mineral Resources Used in the Construction Industry Until 2020 prepared by the Ministry of the Environment and covering extraction and use of all limestone, dolomite, crystalline construction stone, sand, gravel and clay in Estonia. The Mineral Resources Development Plan is a strategic document on earth with an aim to determine the State's interest and to take it as a basis for solving the discrepancies and problems related to extraction and use of mineral resources used for construction, ensuring a continual supply of the aforementioned raw construction materials. The State’s interest in accepting this document is expressed in ensuring a suitable and economically optimal supply of consumers, first and foremost state construction sites, with high-quality mineral resources used in construction, creating conditions for comprehensive development of extraction and use technology, taking all measures for rational use of mineral resources used in construction, as well as protection of the mineral resources and the environment. “The need for this development plan has arisen due to the increase in extraction and use of the mineral deposits used in construction, and the problems related to that,” the Minister of the Environment Jaanus Tamkivi said. “The State needs to express its interests clearly and to seek solutions for the issues already arisen and the ones that may arise in the future.” The Development Plan places special emphasis on fulfilment of the environmental requirements, decreasing the negative environmental impact that accompanies extraction. “Extraction has to take place in the shortest amount of time possible, without disturbing the surroundings, and the ruined surface needs to be put in order fast,” Tamkivi listed. The Development Plan states that the opinion of local governments needs to be taken into account when issuing extraction permits and all justified requirements presented by the local governments have to be added as special conditions to permits. “Issuing of extraction permits has to be preceded by very thorough research, as well as evaluation of the environmental impact,” Tamkivi emphasised. “For example, in Nabala, an additional environmental research was planned to be carried out in 2011–2013 by the State in addition to evaluation of the environmental impact that was initiated by developers. These works will determine the distribution of karstic features in the mine and its area, and provide an additional evaluation on the possibility of mining mineral reserves.” A new concept in the development plan is ensuring the security of supply of mineral resources used in the construction industry. Constant calculation and analysis of the security of supply helps to estimate for how long the mineral resources may extracted and whether new mineral deposits should be opened. No national development plan for mineral resources used in the construction industry has been complied before. Thus, this is the first time when everything related to extraction and use is systematically analysed, taking into consideration the natural, economic and social impacts. “Estonia is one of the first European Union countries where this subject is dealt with so seriously,” Tamkivi said. Preparation of the Development Plan for Mineral Resources Used in the Construction Industry was initiated by the Government of the Republic, which designated the Ministry of the Environment as the leader of this project. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Minister of Regional Affairs, representatives of local government associations and experts of different fields were also involved. At the lead of the Ministry of the Environment, public discussions of the development plan draft took place. A strategic evaluation of environmental impact has been prepared for the Development Plan. |
