21 



Hydrometerology [Roskomgidromet]. 



There is no unified state plan to prevent pollution the Arctic Basin. The Federal State 

 Committee on Northern issues-which repeatedly focused on the need to deal with pollution of 

 the Arctic-was abolished two years ago. This committee was re-established by decree of the 

 President of Russia one week ago. 



Isolated measures which could help to stabilize the pollution level have been set forth in 

 state programs for handling radioactive waste and dioxins adopted in the last two months. 

 However, given budgetary financing levels (approximately one million U.S. dollars for radioactive 

 waste and even less for dioxins) reveals the more symbolic rather than realistic nature of such 

 programs. 



A fijndamentally new method of detecting radiation levels accumulated in the bodies of 

 mammals (electro-paramagnetic resonance analyses of tooth enamel) have revealed that wild 

 reindeer on Novaya Zemlya were exposed to enormous radiation doses prior to the termination of 

 nuclear testing there. Large scale research utilizing this method has not yet been possible due to 

 the lack of sufficient financial support. 



3. The level of assistance from interaational projects in preventing new 

 pollution 



World Bank credits of one hundred million dollars is helping to reduce oil pollution in the 

 Pechora River Basin. 



A small amount of assistance fi'om the Republic of Sakha (Yakutiya) to improve water 

 quality in the Lena River has been obtained through the Northern Council. 



Efforts to reduce air pollution emissions of some of the most hazardous regional polluters- 

 -the Sevronikel and Pechenganikel metallurgical plants on the Kola Peninsula-have been 

 undertaken within the framework of inter-govemmental accords between Russia and Norway. 

 Seminars (courses) for mid-level management for dissemination of natural conservation and 

 resource saving technologies in the Barents region (Murmansk and Arkangel Province, Republic 

 of Kareliya have already been conducted for several years at the impetus of Norway. 



There is an inter-govemmental Norweigan-American-Russian agreement to provide 

 assistance to Russia for treating liquid and storing solid radioactive waste in the Murmansk 

 region. 



4. The success of Russian organizations in environmental protection and 

 nuclear security 



A new federal law-the Russian Water Code-went into effect November 23. 1 995. 

 Article 104 of the Water Code expressly prohibits all discharge and disposal of radioactive and 

 toxic substances in water bodies. This same law forbids a broad range of operations associated 



