Environmental projects in Estonia, Danish Environmental Protection Agency

Environmental Assistance to Eastern Europe 2001

Environmental projects in Estonia

In 2001 the co-operation with Estonia was concentrated on the preparation for Estonia's admission to EU. In June 2001 Estonia could temporarily close the environmental chapter, but as pointed out by the EU Commission in the periodical report on Estonia's progress towards admission, published in November 2001, a number of very large investments still remain to be made, primarily in the waste water, drinking water and waste sectors. In 2001, the Danish support was focused on these sectors in particular.

Thus Danish support has been granted for the clearing of one of Eastern Europe's largest waste sites for hazardous waste, Sillamäe Radioactive Tailings Pond. The project includes the stabilisation, drying out and covering of the 33 ha of radioactive pond outside the town of Sillamäe on the northern coast of Estonia. The project is co-financed by Estonia, EU, NEFCO, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

Furthermore, the first investment projects have been initiated within the framework of the so-called Small Municipalities Investment Programme, SMIP, ensuring that the water and waste water systems will be renovated in 17 smaller and medium-sized Estonian towns. In 2001, support was granted for the sixth largest town in Estonia, Viljandi, with 22,000 inhabitants. In particular Denmark has supported the drinking water supply, while the waste water part of the projects was financed by EU/ISPA. Furthermore, both the Estonian state, NEFCO and the town of Viljandi contribute to the financing.

In the nature sector support has been granted for a project assisting Estonia in complying with the EU Habitat Directive, especially regarding threatened species in fresh water and brackish water. When negotiating admission to the EU, Estonia requested a transitional period until 2005 for Natura 2000, but this request has not been met. Therefore, there is a large need for support to designate the habitats for the Natura 2002 network.

In 2001, support was granted for 12 projects in Estonia with a total Danish contribution of DKK 31.8 million. This is a small decrease compared to the contribution in the previous year.

Project title	Forest Conservation Area Network. Supplementary grant
File no.	124/009-0045T
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	Carl Bro as
Project description	A project on the establishment of a network of protected forests has been operating for almost two years. In broad outline the objectives have been achieved, but a transfer phase is needed to ensure that selected forest areas will be established as nature reserves and that the systematically collected data will be surrendered to the relevant parts of the Estonian Ministry of Environment.
Environmental effect (expected)	Protection of 37,800 ha of forest with a high biodiversity value as part of the Natura 2000 network.
Grant	DKK 559,295
Total costs	DKK 559,295

Project title	Sillamäe Radioactive Tailing Pond Remediation Project
File no.	124/009-0062
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	Nordic Environmental Finance Facility (NEFCO)
Project description	The project includes the stabilisation, drying out and covering of the 33 ha of radioactive pond outside the town of Sillamäe on the northern coast of Estonia. The project is co-financed with EU/LSIF, NEFCO, SIDA, MoE-Finland, MoFA-Norway, EME and DEPA. The project is implemented by way of a free grant from the donors with NEFCO as the managing unit and a PMU in the company Ökosil as the implementing unit.
Environmental effect (expected)	In total the pond contains almost 8 million m³ of radioactive and heavy metal-containing waste water and waste. It is assumed that the pond contains 1,200 tonnes of radioactive waste. Each year approx. 32,000 tonnes of waste are deposited in the pond, including waste from the extraction of oil shale. Calculations show that 16-30 tonnes of polluted water is exchanged with the Golf of Bothnia/ the Baltic Sea.
Grant	DKK 7,850,000
Total costs	DKK 130,000,000

Project title	Waste-related Projects in Estonia
File no.	124/009-0085T
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment, Vormsi Island, Recycling Center in Tallinn, Tartu University
Project manager	Rambøll as
Project description	In this project the Danish Environmental Support Programme has supported four smaller waste projects in Estonia, including specification of equipment for collection of waste in Wormsi Island and Tartu University plus educational material on waste for school children in Tallinn. The need for equipment has now been identified and the present additional grant covers the purchasing and delivery of the equipment.
Environmental effect (expected)	The project will increase the sorting of waste items and thus the possible recycling of waste. Furthermore, the project has a substantial effect in relation to awareness-raising for tourists in Vormsi Island, students at Tartu University and school children in Tallinn.
Grant	DKK 903,870
Total costs	DKK 903,870

Project title	Remediation of Contaminated Soil at 4 Eesti Energia Sites, Estonia
File no.	124/009-0092
Project recipient	Eesti Energia
Project manager	TeamProtection Nordic A/S
Project description	The projects implements the remediation of four prioritised oil polluted sites belonging to Eesti Energia AS by using bio-in situ decontamination technique. First the sites must be mapped out, and then an action plan for each site must be worked out, before Bio-Gel with a high concentration of bacteria is applied to the soil. The bacteria 'eats' the oil components, leaving the soil free of polluting substances.
Environmental effect (expected)	16,000 m³ soil decontaminated to less than 5,000 mg/kg
Grant	DKK 2,050,000
Total costs	DKK 6,450,000

Project title	Appraisal of Freshwater Natura 2000, Estonia
File no.	124/009-0097
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	Carl Bro as
Project description	Estonia is one of the EU applicant countries and thus under the obligation to implement a number of directives, also in the nature sector. Birds and habitat Directives and the Natura 2000 network are of great importance and in this connection giving a high priority. Estonia has made some progress, but the Ministry of the Environment has identified fresh and brackish water habitats as a sector, that hasn't been given sufficient attention. A Draft Project Document has been worked out for the project on the basis of a mission v. Ornis Consult (File no. 129-0124). This project comprises appraisal of this document.
Environmental effect (expected)	No direct effects in this appraisal project
Grant	DKK 82,110
Total costs	DKK 82,110

Project title	Implementation of the Natura 2000 Network in Estonia
File no.	124/009-0099
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	Water & Power Planners A/S (tender adviser)
Project description	As part of the EU approximation process Estonia has applied for, but hasn't been granted a transitional period for the birds and habitat Directives plus the Natura 2000 network. Therefore, the Estonian Ministry of the Environment has asked for assistance to fill identified gaps in the preliminary work for designation of Sites of Community Interest under the Habitat Directive in fresh and brackish water areas.
Environmental effect (expected)	A substantial contribution towards Estonia complying with the EU habitat directive especially when it comes to threatened species in fresh water and brackish water areas.
Grant	DKK 146,707
Total costs	DKK 146,707

Project title	Viljandi Water Supply Project
File no.	124/009-0100
Project recipient	The town of Viljandi
Project manager	Rambøll as
Project description	In the project a new water treatment unit complete with rehabilitation and extension of the water mains network for the town of Viljandi will be implemented, so that a 100 percent coverage can be achieved and the quality of drinking water is within both Estonian and EU requirements. The project is part of a larger investment project in Viljandi, including both waste water and drinking water. The project is cofinanced with NEFCO, the town of Viljandi, the Estonian state and EU/ISPA.
Environmental effect (expected)	5,500 m³/day pure drinking water for approx. 22,000 inhabitants
Grant	DKK 11,864,105
Total costs	DKK 83,000,000

Project title	Country Programme for Estonia and Latvia
File no.	124/009-0103
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	DHI Water & Environment
Project description	Two to three country emissions were carried out in each country during the period July 1. to December 31., and complete co-ordinated country programmes for Estonia and Lithuania respectively will be prepared in accordance with the present Terms of Reference and guidelines for this.
Environmental effect (expected)	No direct effect.
Grant	DKK 191,194
Total costs	DKK 191,194

Project title	Keila Wastewater Treatment Plant - supplementary works
File no.	124/009-0104
Project recipient	Keila Vesi
Project manager	COWI as
Project description	Since 1998 the Danish Environmental Support Programme has supported the construction of a new waste water treatment plant in Keila, Estonia. The existing 25 years old pumping station has proven not to have the capacity needed to ensure an optimal utilisation of the waste water treatment plant. This means that part of the waste water runs untreated to the recipient, although capacity is available at the plant. Therefore, with this project a new pumping station is being constructed.
Environmental effect (expected)	Improved treatment of waste water following an optimised utilisation of the waste water treatment plant. As the capacity of the existing pumping station has not been gauged, the environmental effect cannot be quantified.
Grant	DKK 1,708,132
Total costs	DKK 2,080,882

Project title	Implementation of the Nature 2000 Network in Estonia
File no.	124/009-0107
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	Bio Consult A/S
Project description	As part of the EU approximation process Estonia has applied for, but hasn't been granted a transitional period for the birds and habitat directives plus the Natura 2000 network. Therefore, the Estonian Ministry of Environment has asked for assistance for filling out identified gaps in the preliminary work for the designation of Sites of Community Interest under the Habitat Directive in fresh water and brackish water areas.
Environmental effect (expected)	A substantial contribution towards Estonia complying with the EU Habitat Directive, especially when it comes to threatened species in fresh water and brackish water areas.
Grant	DKK 4,849,477
Total costs	DKK 5,379,477

Project title	Assistance to Estonia for the Implementation of the 3rd Pillar of the Aarhus Convention
File no.	124/009-0110
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	COWI as
Project description	The projects is to carry out an analysis of the Aarhus Convention's claims for access to justice in environmental cases in Estonia. The analysis of the legal barriers will form the basis of surveys on the need for training. Two training workshops will be arranged for officials of the Ministry of Environment, the regional environmental authorities and other relevant parties. A manual, describing environmental cases will be composed. The project is an extension of the support to Estonian authorities in the implementation of the Aarhus Convention.
Environmental effect (expected)	No direct effect.
Grant	DKK 1,499,957
Total costs	DKK 1,499,957

Project title	Small Municipalities Investment Programme Implementation (SMIP- implementation)
File no.	129-0245
Project recipient	The Estonian Ministry of Environment
Project manager	PEM-consult
Project description	In the project, terms of reference are prepared for the Danish consultant, who through a subsequent tender is to co-ordinate, implement and supervise the total input financed by the Danish Environmental Support Programme to the SMIP/17 towns project in Estonia. This comprises approx. DKK 25 million over two to three years, with 95% being water and waste water equipment. The entire project is co-financed by EU, NIB/NEFCO, SIDA, FinMoE, EME, the actual towns and has a total budget of approx. DKK 120 million. With the implementation, 17 smaller Estonian towns will be brought to the EU level regarding pure water and waste water treatment.
Environmental effect (expected)	No direct effect.
Grant	DKK 140,379
Total costs	DKK 140,379