Greenpeace Files Appeal against Environment Ministry's Decision on LNG Terminal

Bratislava, April 13 (TASR) - Greenpeace Slovakia has filed an appeal against the Environment Ministry's decision concerning the construction of an LNG terminal in Bratislava's port on the Danube River, TASR has learnt from the organisation's spokeswoman Miroslava Abelova. "We firmly insist that this is a senseless project that goes against all the climate goals that Slovakia has committed itself to," said the spokeswoman. Greenpeace wants interim Environment Minister Jan Budaj to comply with the appeal and reverse his decision so that the ministry disagrees with the construction of the terminal. The Environment Ministry issued its final opinion on the project within the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process only recently, recommending that construction should take place. According to the ministry, negative environmental impacts in this case can be remedied by certain measures. The terminal is to be located in Bratislava's river port, with the proposed area covering 5,500 square metres. The costs are estimated by the investor at approximately €40 million excluding VAT. Activists from various environmental organisations, including Greenpeace, have protested against the project. The company that should build the terminal claims that LNG significantly reduces carbon dioxide production and produces almost no particulate matter. The introduction of LNG will improve local air quality, it claimed. Meanwhile, the Slovak Gas and Oil Association has rejected claims that natural gas and LNG are fuels comparable in terms of their environmental impact with diesel and coal. zel/df