Reindeer Blog

This is a media article in Russian from Sakha News about the planning of a second major gas pipeline. This will potentially add another pipeline to the East Siberian Pacific pipeline which although only operative for a year, has already had reports of accidents – see route of the ESPO here). This new pipeline will bisect the pastures of Evenki herders and disturb their cemetaries and if this route is selected, will not follow the route of the already constructed pipeline.

Evenki are urging Gazprom to re-route a pipeline away from one of its settlements in Yakutia.

“We are not against progress or economic development, but we feel like we are the ones who will suffer from this,” the group said in a petition, signed by 213 people. “Our reindeer pastures and hunting sites are being seized, rivers are being poisoned and fish are disappearing.”

Gazprom is reluctant to change the path of a new link from the Chayandinskoye oil and gas reserves to Khabarovsk, saying it will cost an extra $1.67 billion, RIA Novosti reported.

A public hearing will be held on March 11, in the community of Neryungri.

Read article here (in Russian)