While construction of the Rail Baltica route is already underway in northern Pärnu County, it has not yet begun in southern Pärnu County. Construction there is lagging behind other regions because six years ago the Supreme Court of Estonia annulled the 45-kilometer Pärnu–Kabli route plan, citing insufficient assessment of its impact on the western capercaillie population living in the area.

The route plan was reapproved in the spring of last year, providing grounds to initiate an environmental impact assessment. The environmental impact assessment report for the Pärnu–Kabli section has now been completed and submitted for public display.

"The purpose of the environmental impact assessment is to help find the best possible solution for building the railway — one that takes into account damage to the natural environment as well as disturbances affecting people and that outlines measures and methods to minimize these impacts," explained Rail Baltic Estonia chief project manager Janis Erilaid.

According to Katrin Lall, a senior expert at the company Estonian Latvian & Lithuanian Environment, special attention in the assessment was given to protecting wildlife.

"To preserve the connectivity of animal movement, a large number of measures have been planned, such as eco-ducts that allow animals to cross the railway without disturbance. In addition to eco-ducts, a significant number of tunnels for animal passage are planned under the railway and shoreline paths are also designed along water bodies so animals can move along riverbanks to the other side of the railway," Lall said.

Lall added that the railway's impact on people was also assessed, including mapping out options to mitigate noise.

"To determine and forecast noise levels, computer modeling of noise dispersion was carried out. Based on the results, locations were identified where noise barriers will be needed in the future to protect residential areas from railway noise and ensure that noise levels comply with standards," Lall noted.

The environmental impact assessment report for the Pärnu–Kabli section will be available for public review online until the end of April and a public discussion will take place in Kilingi-Nõmme in May. According to Erilaid, construction can begin after the environmental impact assessment process is completed.

"The Pärnu–Kabli environmental impact assessment report could be approved by the end of July. This would then provide the basis for applying for construction permits and once the permits are obtained, we expect construction to begin in the fall of this year," Erilaid said.

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