Report.

5.4 State environmental expertise

The system of state environmental expertise (SEE) is regulated by the Federal Law № 174-FL of November 23, 1995 «On environmental expertise». The objects of state environmental expertise of the federal level, including project documentation for construction within specially protected natural territories, are listed in Article 11, while the objects of state environmental expertise of the regional level are listed in Article 12.

Within Lake Baikal Natural Territory, the branches of Federal Agency for Supervision in the Sphere of Nature Management («Rosprirodnadzor») in Irkutsk Oblast, the Republic of Buryatia and Zabaikalsky Krai jointly with the bodies of executive power are implementing the state policies in the field of environmental expertise [4, 6].

The central unit of Federal Agency for Supervision in the Sphere of Nature Management conducted state environmental expertise of the entities located within BNT based on the following documents:

-  documentation substantiating the total permissible catch of aquatic bio-resources in Lake Baikal and its tributaries Barguzin, Selenga, Upper and Angara in 2013 (including the environment impact assessment). The expertise was ordered by Rosrybolovstvo and FSA VNIRO (2012).

-  remediation of the closed facility of mercury cell electrolysis in the town of Usolye-Sibirskoe (project documentation). The commissioner was Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Irkutsk region  (2013)

-  documentation substantiating the total permissible catch of aquatic bio-resources in Lake Baikal and its tributaries Barguzin, Selenga, Upper and Angara in 2014. The expertise was ordered by Rosrybolovstvo (2013).

Irkutsk Oblast. In 2012, the branch of Federal Agency for Supervision in the Sphere of Nature Management («Rosprirodnadzor») in Irkutsk Oblast conducted state environmental expertise of 2 entities located within Lake Baikal Natural Territory:

- documentation substantiating the total permissible catch of aquatic bio-resources in fresh-water bodies of Irkutsk Oblast in 2013;

- project documentation for «Reconstruction of ferry boat harbor facilities in the village of Sakhyurta, Olkhon Island in Olkhonsky district of Irkutsk Oblast».

The state environmental expertise approved both the above projects. A negative assessment was given to the project documentation on «Modifications to the design of solid waste landline in the village of Markovo», based on the state environmental expertise conducted in 2011.

In 2013, state environmental expertise was conducted for one entity:

- documentation substantiating the maximum permissible catch of aquatic bio-resources in fresh-water bodies of Irkutsk region in 2014-2018. Approval was issued.

In 2012, Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Irkutsk region conducted the environmental expertise of 2 entities within Lake Baikal Natural Territory, including:

-  documentation substantiating the limit of procurement of wild hoofed animals, bear and fur-bearing animals during 2012-2013;

-  documents of complex environmental investigation of the parts of state natural sanctuary «Okunaisky» (Swan lakes) substantiating granting of the legal status of a specially protected natural territory to the sanctuary. State environmental expertise resulted in positive assessments of the above proposals.

In 2013, regional level state environmental expertise was conducted for the following:

-  documentation substantiating the limits (quotas) for procurement of animal resources within Irkutsk region during the hunting season from August 1, 2013 to August 1, 2014;

-  documentation substantiating the introduction of changes into the limits (quotas) for procurement of animal resources within Irkutsk region in the period till August 1, 2014, approved by the order of the Governor of Irkutsk region №264-GO of July 31, 2013;

-  documentation on complex environmental examination of the territories substantiating granting of the legal status of a specially protected natural territory to “Ulsetskaya Grove” (Batorova Grove) in Alarsky district of Irkutsk region;

-  documentation substantiating the creation of an area of traditional environmental management in Kachugsky district of Irkutsk region. All the above proposals received positive reviews and were approved.

Republic of Buryatia. In 2012, the branch of Federal Agency for Supervision in the Sphere of Nature Management («Rosprirodnadzor») in the Republic of Buryatia organized and conducted state environmental expertise of 4 entities, 2 of which were located within a specially protected natural territory of the federal level («Tunkinsky national park»):

-  design documentation for «Construction of an inter-municipal landline for municipal solid waste in the village of Toltoy, Tunkinsky district».

-  documentation substantiating the amount of total permissible catch of aquatic bio-resources in water bodies of the Republic of Buryatia in 2012;

-  documentation substantiating the quotas for hunting within «Tunkinsky national park» during the hunting season of 2012-2013;

-  design documentation for «Constriction of a landline for municipal solid waste in Severobaikalsk city of the Republic of Buryatia». All the proposals received positive assessments.

In 2013, the branch of Federal Agency for Supervision in the Sphere of Nature Management («Rosprirodnadzor») in the Republic of Buryatia conducted the state environmental expertise of 3 entities within Lake Baikal Natural Territory:

-  documentation substantiating the amounts of total permissible catch of aquatic bio-resources in water bodies of the Republic of Buryatia in 2014;

-  documentation substantiating the limits and quotas for hunting within the area of the national park «Tunkinsky», where sport and amateur hunting is allowed, during the hunting season of 2013-2014;

-  design documentation for «Fire fighting and chemical station of 2^nd type in Zabaikalsky national park». All the above proposals received positive reviews.

Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Buryatia conducted the state environmental expertise of 3 regional level entities:

-  design documentation for «Renovation of housing quarters of the camp «Rovesnik» in the village of Maksimikha»;

-  documentation substantiating the limits and quotas for hunting within the Republic of Buryatia during the hunting season of 2013-2014;

-  design documentation for «Reconstruction of the road connecting the main road Shergino – Oymur – Zarechie and the village of Noviy Enkhaluk in Kabansk district of the Republic of Buryatia». The projects received positive assessments.

Zabaikalsky Krai. In 2012-2013, the branch of Federal Agency for Supervision in the Sphere of Nature Management (“Rosprirodnadzor”) in Zabaikalsky Krai did not receive applications for state environmental expertise.

Environmental monitoring. In 2012-2013, environmental monitoring was carried out by the departments of Rosgydromet, Rosprirodnadzor, Rosvodresursy, Rosnedra, Rosreyestr as well as the competent authorities of the three federation subjects – the Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk Oblast and Zabaikalksy Krai. In addition to that, the data of Rospotrebnadzor, Rostransnadzor, Rosstat, Rostehnadzor, Ministry of Emergency Situations were used for conducting the monitoring [4,6].

In 2013, the resolution of the Government of Russian Federation № 681 of August 9, 2013 introduced the Regulations regarding the state environmental monitoring and the data obtained through environmental monitoring. The Regulations establish procedures for meeting the requirements of the Articles 63.1 and 63.2 of the Federal Law №7-FL of January 10, 2002 «On environmental protection» (in its 2011 revision, № 331-FL dated November 21, 2011).

Creation and maintenance of observation networks and information resources within subsystems of the unified monitoring system is the responsibility of the Federal Agency for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, with the help of the federal institutions of executive power authorized to conduct environmental monitoring and the regional institutions of executive power in accordance with their mandate defined by legislation of the Russian Federation.

According to the Regulations, «State fund is the federal information system ensuring collection, processing and analysis of data», and it includes:

а) data contained in the databases of the subsystems of the unified monitoring system;

б) data obtained through industrial monitoring and state environmental supervision;

в) data of the state register of entities having negative impact on the environment.

Annex of the Regulations regarding the state environmental monitoring and the data obtained through environmental monitoring contains the List of the types of information to be included into the state fund of environmental monitoring data.

A type of information included in the list is the data obtained through state environmental monitoring of the unique ecosystem of Lake Baikal as one of the 15 subsystems of the unified system of state environmental monitoring.

In 2013, the resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation №477 approved the Regulations regarding state monitoring of the environment. The Regulations define the procedures for conducting the state environmental monitoring as well the procedures for establishing a state system of environmental observation.

The Regulations state that atmospheric air, soils, surface waters, ozone layer, ionosphere and circumterrestrial space are the objects of state environmental monitoring. The state environmental monitoring is organized and conducted by the Federal Agency for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, with the help of the federal and regional institutions of executive power in accordance with their mandate.

In 2012-2013, the special monitoring of Lake Baikal water with respect to hydrochemical and hydrophysicochemical parameters was conducted by «Vostsibregionvodkhoz» of Rosvodresursi. The monitoring was carried out using the measurement complex «Akvatoria-Baikal» installed on the research steam-boat «Istok» (pic. 5.4.1).

Pic. 5.4.1 The onboard measurement complex «Akvatoria-Baikal»

The conducted comparative analysis of 2012-2013 data and the data acquired in the previous years showed that Lake Baikal is generally clean and that the lake’s water, even in the southern part of the lake, has not experienced the impact leading to irreversible changes. Based on the results of the monitoring, «Analytical report on the results of observations on the state of water bodies within the zone of «Vostsiberregionvodkhoz» activities in 2012» and «Analytical report on the results of observations on the state of water bodies within the zone of «Vostsiberregionvodkhoz» activities in 2013» were compiled. The results of the monitoring were published on the official website of «Vostsiberregionvodkhoz» (www.vodhoz38.com).

The monitoring results obtained using the measurement complex «Akvatoria-Baikal 2» for 15 most informative sites for Lake Baikal protection (1 – Baikal pulp-and-paper mill, 2 – Slyudyanka, Kultuk, 3- the Selenga delta, 4 – Chivyrkuyski bay, 5 – Yarki islands, Nizheangarsk, 6 – Severobaikalsk, 7 – Zama, 8 – Maloe More, 9 – Mukhor and Olkhon Gate Bay, 10 – Anga, 11 – Buguldeika, 12 – Peschanaya, 13 – Goloustnue, 14 – Listvyanka and Port Baikal, 15 – Irkutsk water reservoir) during 2003-2007 are presented on the official website of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation – «Protection of Lake Baikal»  (www.geol.irk.ru/baikal).

Space observations of Baikal natural territory in 2012 were continued by «Rosgeolfond» using the equipment capable of receiving information directly from the space apparatus intended for environmental purposes. Since 2002, the results of space observations have been published on the official website of the Ministry of Natural Resources – «Protection of Lake Baikal» (www.geol.irk.ru/baikal) in the section on Space monitoring of Lake Baikal Natural Territory. In 2013, 11 984 information products (11 659 in 2012) were prepared based on the monitoring of Lake Baikal Natural Territory, including 6172 products (6152 in 2012) for loading in GIS.

Since 2013, a new information product – Lake Baikal surface water temperature [7]. Data for the information product come from the satellites TERRA and AQUA and are processed using the software package IMAPP (International MODIS/AIRS Processing Package).

An important result of space monitoring is the continued formation of temporary data sets for studying the dynamics of natural conditions and solving scientific and applied tasks.