“Environmental impact assessments constitute a critical part of the decision-making process behind large-scale development projects,” commented Roland Müür, the Environmental Manager of Rail Baltic Estonia OÜ. Müür added that similarly to the public discussions organised in conjunction with the unveiling of the county-wide plan that established the corridor for the planned high-speed railway route, people are invited to join in on the conversation in Kohila with regard to the first section of the route running from the border between Harju and Rapla counties to Hagudi. “The feedback from local residents is invaluable in order to ensure that the development of the Rail Baltica infrastructure project continues in a collaborative atmosphere, ,” said Müür.

The environmental impact assessment programme to be made public at Kohila on November 25 will provide an overview of planned activities, alternative options and their environmental impacts. In addition, it will also offer objective information needed to decide on the most optimal solution that will either prevent or reduce adverse effects on the environment and promote sustainable development.

On 29 March, 2019, the Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority decided to initiate environmental impact assessments for eight sections on the Estonian portion of the Rail Baltica route. Currently, draft environmental impact assessment programmes have been prepared for three sections of the Rail Baltica route in Estonia.

Relevant authorities have already submitted their opinions on the section running from the border between Harju and Rapla counties to Hagudi, and their input has been integrated into the draft programme. The public display was organised by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority on 21 October.

The programme is available at the document registry of the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority, and also on the websites of Rail Baltica and Skepast & Puhkim OÜ.

The draft environmental impact assessment programme for the section running from the border between Harju and Rapla counties to Hagudi was submitted to the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority by RB Rail AS. The draft programme was prepared in collaboration between Spanish engineering consultancy IDOM and Skepast & Pukim OÜ, a leading Estonian infrastructure, planning and environmental consultancy.

According to the agreement, the environmental impact assessment for the section running from the border between Harju and Rapla counties to Hagudi must be competed and results presented by the beginning of 2021.