Editing Lake Baikal (section)

====Cancelled East Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipeline====
[[File:Frozen Lake Baikal. (32419140034).jpg|thumb|The lake in winter, its ice thick enough to support a 2004 [[Mitsubishi Pajero]]]]
{{Main|Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipeline}}

Russian oil pipelines state company [[Transneft]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.transneft.ru/Default.asp?LANG=EN|title=Transneft|publisher=Transneft|access-date=21 October 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061004021120/http://www.transneft.ru/Default.asp?LANG=EN <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 4 October 2006}}</ref> was planning to build a trunk pipeline that would have come within {{convert|800|m|ft|abbr=on}} of the lake shore in a zone of substantial seismic activity. Environmental activists in Russia,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baikalwave.eu.org/Eng/index-e.html|title=Baikal Environmental Wave |access-date=21 October 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060825011926/http://www.baikalwave.eu.org/Eng/index-e.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 25 August 2006}}</ref> Greenpeace, Baikal pipeline opposition<ref>{{cite web |url=http://baikal-pipe.net/?page_id=64 |title=Baikal pipeline |access-date=21 October 2006  |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723022331/http://baikal-pipe.net/?page_id=64 |archive-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> and local citizens<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baikalwave.eu.org/Eng/news.html#a2 |title=The Right to Know: Irkutsk Citizens Want to be Consulted |access-date=7 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711115354/http://baikalwave.eu.org/Eng/news.html |archive-date=11 July 2007  }}</ref> were strongly opposed to these plans, due to the possibility of an accidental oil spill that might cause significant damage to the environment. According to the Transneft's president, numerous meetings with citizens near the lake were held in towns along the route, especially in Irkutsk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spb.ecology.net.ru/enwl/2006/03/15_16.htm|title=Тема: (ENWL) Власти Иркутской обл. выступили против прокладки нефтепровода к Тихому океану|access-date=3 August 2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070928094910/http://spb.ecology.net.ru/enwl/2006/03/15_16.htm|archive-date=28 September 2007}}</ref> Transneft agreed to alter its plans when Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the company to consider an alternative route {{convert|40|km|mi|sp=us}} to the north to avoid such ecological risks.<ref>{{cite news|date=26 April 2006 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4945998.stm |title=Putin orders oil pipeline shifted |work=BBC News |access-date=21 October 2006}}</ref> Transneft has since decided to move the pipeline away from Lake Baikal, so that it will not pass through any federal or republic natural reserves.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbcnews.com/free/20060907165225.shtml|title=Transneft charged with Siberia-Pacific pipeline construction|publisher=BizTorg.ru |access-date=21 October 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.transneft.ru/press/Default.asp?LANG=EN&ATYPE=9&ID=11661|title=New route|publisher=Transneft Press Center |access-date=21 October 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061004021848/http://www.transneft.ru/press/Default.asp?LANG=EN&ATYPE=9&ID=11661 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 4 October 2006}}</ref> Work began on the pipeline two days after President Putin agreed to changing the route away from Lake Baikal.<ref>{{cite news |date=28 April 2006|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4954554.stm|title=Work starts on Russian pipeline|work=BBC News |access-date=4 December 2007}}</ref>