The Environment Agency publishes a notice under paragraph 47(2) of the General Law on the Environment (KeÜS).

The Environment Agency States that the request submitted by Enefit Mines AS (registry code: 10032389) (address: station Jaama tn 10, Municipality of Jõhvi, Municipality of Jõhvi, 41533 District of East Viru) to amend the environmental permit for the extraction of mineral resources from the Sirgala quarry has been accepted.

Enefit Kaevandused AS request the exclusion of 19 blocks of passive consumption of the Sirgala run-off from the mountain allocation of the Sirgala quarry and the extension of the mountain allocation to 1 blocks of active consumption of the Permisküla survey field. In addition, the company applies for an extension of the period of validity of environmental permit No KMIN-074 for the extraction of mineral resources by 30 years, that is to say until 03.05.2059.

The mountain allocation for the Sirgala quarry, with a surface area of 11 624,06 ha and a surface area of 3206,29 ha, is located in the county of Ida-Viru in the municipalities of Alutagus and Toila and in the city of Narva-Jõesuu. The mining company is Enefit Kaevandused AS. According to the request for amendment of the environmental permit for the extraction of mineral resources, on 30.06.2019 the extraction of oil shale associated with mining reserves is about 94,11 million tonnes, the extraction of well-degraded peat is about 1,78 million tonnes and the extraction of low-severity peat is about 21 thousand tonnes. The maximum annual mining rate for oil shale is 6,4 million tonnes for the mining permits number KMIN-073, KMIN-046, KMIN-074 and KMIN-086. Enefit mines under all the permits granted to as for the extraction of oil shale may not be extracted in excess of 15.01 million tonnes per year. The mountain allocation for the Sirgala quarry will have a maximum annual extraction rate for peat of 100 thousand tonnes in blocks 30 and 55 thousand tonnes in blocks 31 and 32.

The request for amendment of the environmental permit and other relevant documents can be consulted at the nearest office of the Environment Agency (tel 674 4803, e-mail info@keskkonnaamet.ee).
The application is available in digital form from the Register of documents of the Environment Agency at the address. https://dhs ADR kea.envir.ee/.

Until such time as a decision is taken to vary or refuse an environmental permit, any person shall have the right to submit reasoned proposals and objections to the application to the Environment Agency. Proposals and objections may be submitted orally or in writing to the e-mail address info@keskkonnaamet.ee or to the postal address Viljandi mnt 16, 11216 Tallinn.

The Environment Agency shall further inform the Official Gazette Ametlikud Teadaanded of the preparation of a draft amendment or refusal to modify an environmental permit.