The Court of Appeal considered the appeal against the decision of the Dnipropetrovsk District Administrative Court, which had previously confirmed validity of EIA, issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine for the construction of a new dump in Kryvyi Rih, and made a conclusion that land plots on which the dump would be built, belonged to industrial land category and were not a part of Izumrudnaya territory. Representatives of the public organization “Stop poisoning Kryvyi Rih” filed a lawsuit to cancel the positive conclusion of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Today the court refused to allow this appeal, and the decision of the court of the first instance entered into force.
Last autumn, the court considered justifications and calculations, proving that an impact of the construction and operation of Stepnoy-2 on the citizens of nearby areas was within the allowable ecological frames, complying with environmental safety standards, and the area, where the company planned to operate, did not refer to the nature reserve. The company received a positive conclusion on the EIA from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. This permit contains all the necessary requirements to minimize industrial impact, and the company fully complies with these requirements.
Artem Filipyev, Deputy CEO for Legal Issues, Government Relations and Communications, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih: “We will not insist on the plaintiff to reimburse court costs. We are always ready for an efficient dialogue with communities and believe that it is our mutual responsibility to comply with ecological commitments. We respect an opinion of engaged citizens and are open for the dialogue so that to move forward together, for the benefit of both society and the business”.
Stepnoy-2 dump is a strategic project of the company, since the production of iron ore concentrate depends on it. The company has already had several specialized audits, received a positive conclusion on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure and completed all preparatory work. (AMKR/Ukrainian metal)
