EU calls for assessment of Nord Stream

BRUSSELS, July 9 (UPI) -- The European Parliament approved an environmental assessment to explore the impact of the Nord Stream undersea natural gas pipeline before moving ahead.

By a majority vote Tuesday, European lawmakers called for an independent report to discuss the environmental aspects of Nord Stream, examine alternative routes and outline the chain of responsibility should an environmental event occur, the online magazine The Baltic Course said Wednesday.

European leaders are concerned the construction of Nord Stream will disturb munitions dumps dating to World War II that are on the seabed of the Baltic. Lithuania and Poland, for their part, put forth two separate petitions before Europe regarding concerns over the environmental impact of the Nord Stream pipeline.

Nord Stream is a planned 570-mile natural gas pipeline from Russia through the Baltic Sea and into Germany.

European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said Europe would grant work permits for Nord Stream only when the environmental assessment report is completed.