The first phase of the environmental impact assessment process entails the preparation of an environmental impact assessment programme that describes the planned railway design, possible alternatives, the surrounding environment, as well as providing an overview of additional surveys and explains the methodology used in conducting the environmental impact assessment in question.

According to Roland Müür, the Environmental Manager of Rail Baltic Estonia OÜ, it is important to ensure that we could foresee the environmental impacts that might arise in the process of construction and try to avoid or minimise possible effects on nature and people. “Considering that the section from Ülemiste to Kangru runs through densely populated areas and the construction works will affect large numbers of people living in the surrounding areas, the drafting of the engineering design project and its construction will be subject to significant public scrutiny,” added Müür.

The draft environmental impact assessment programmes were submitted to the Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority by RB Rail AS. The Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority is responsible for inspecting compliance with relevant regulations and also to seek the opinion of other relevant governmental agencies. After approval by relevant authorities the environmental impact assessment programmes shall be made public, accompanied by public display and discussion. According to current estimates, these environmental impact assessment programmes are expected to go on public display in the beginning of next year. Until then, the current version of the draft programme available on the Rail Baltica website.

The draft programme has been prepared in collaboration between Spanish engineering consultancy IDOM and Skepast & Pukim OÜ, a leading Estonian infrastructure, planning and environmental consultancy.

To date, Rail Baltica has published draft environmental impact assessment programmes for five out of eight Estonian sections of the high-speed railway route: from the county border between Harju and Rapla to Hagudi, from Hagudi to the county border between Rapla and Pärnu, from the county border between Rapla and Pärnu to Tootsi, from Ülemiste to Kangru, and from Kangru to the county border between Harju and Rapla.