The Republic of Latvia Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 412 of 2000 in Riga on November 28 (Mon. No. 56, § 16) rules on the protection of the environment of exploring for and producing hydrocarbons in jobs sea Issued in accordance with the law "on environmental protection" in article 9 and paragraph 9 of the law "On Earth" 10. the second paragraph of article i. General questions 1. these provisions establish the environment for hydrocarbons and mining works at sea, to prevent or reduce pollution of the environment, which may occur in the study of hydrocarbons or mining work.
2. the exploration of hydrocarbons or mining work is the responsibility of the operator to use the best available techniques, respecting transparency, kompleksum, scientific validity, planning, precautionary, environmental and economic balance.
 
II. Environmental impact assessment and monitoring 3. before hydrocarbons or mining block approval of the Cabinet of Ministers of the environment and regional development Ministry in the Cabinet of Ministers submitted information on the State of the environment in these blocks.
4. before the hydrocarbons exploration or mining work before possible actions provided for in the technical planning, design or decision-making stage for hydrocarbons or mining Foreman (hereinafter operator) suggests the environmental impact assessment carried out in accordance with the requirements of the 1992 Helsinki Convention for the Baltic Sea marine environment (hereinafter referred to as the Helsinki Convention) and 25 February 1991 Espoo Convention on environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context.
5. the Operator supports environmental monitoring for hydrocarbons or mining site, previously conducted environmental impact assessment opinion. The monitoring program before the authorization for hydrocarbons or mining work confirms the protection of the environment and regional development Ministry of marine environmental administration (hereinafter marine Administration).
6. the Monitoring observations carried out according to the ICES (International Council for the exploration of the sea) and HELCOM (the Helsinki Commission) requirements using standardized methods.
7. the Monitoring data obtained for the legal or natural person has the legal or physical person, property and public administration institutions are available free of charge. Monitoring reports and copies of your data the operator shall submit the marine environmental management in accordance with the approved monitoring program.
8. national monitoring in accordance with the marine monitoring programme is carried out independently of the operator of the monitoring carried out.
III. the discharge of hydrocarbons exploration and mining works On the base of diesel 9 prepared drilling milkiness and waste discharged shall be prohibited in the Baltic Sea, but they cleanse and recycled on the spot or taken ashore for treatment and disposal, in coordination with the work of marine environmental management.
10. For diesel-based manufactured drilling milkiness allowed only in exceptional cases, if it is required for geological, technical or safety reasons and is agreed with the administration of the marine environment, ensure the rules referred to in paragraph 9 requirements.
11. the preparation of water-based drilling rile and waste discharges into the sea is prohibited, before under this provision of the annex have not tested their Toxicology Laboratory accredited for this purpose. Toxicity test provides the operator and for the results to inform the management of the marine environment.
12. If the rules referred to in paragraph 11 of the toxicity test results indicative of drilling and drilling waste rile safety environment (turbidity as their ingredients are not added to any of the Helsinki Convention Annex I, point 1.2, for those substances and mercury (Hg) cadmium (Cd) concentrations or turbidity will not exceed 1 mg/kg), after coordination with the management of the marine environment of the water based preparation of drilling and rile drill waste discharges into the sea is allowed.
13. it is prohibited to carry sea chemicals contained in the Helsinki Convention Annex I, 1.2, paragraph in the list of harmful substances and preparations containing them.
14. it is prohibited to discharge into the sea untreated sewage and economic waste.
15. it is prohibited to discharge waste at sea and the production of replacement water, oil content, determined by the HELCOM (the Helsinki Commission) recognized for the analysis and sampling methods, up to 15 mg/l 16. If using the best available techniques, it is not possible to include in this provision the limit referred to in paragraph 15 (up to 15 mg/l), the management of the marine environment is right to raise the limit of discharge up to 40 mg/l, demanding to take appropriate additional measures to prevent pollution of the environment. The development of production and waste water treatment technology, marine Administration periodically review the discharge limits.
17. All types of waste water, waste and by-products management plan (hereinafter referred to as the waste management plan) before authorisation for hydrocarbons or mining works approved by the Marine Department.
18. Water use permit and a permit for entering the pollutants in the atmosphere in accordance with the laws and HELCOM (the Helsinki Commission) recommendations, as well as taking into account the environmental impact assessment, issued by the Marine Department.
19. the pollution of subsoils are not considered as gas and water pumping oil layers of abstraction, as well as the promotion of the process of production of hydrocarbons pumped liquid atpakaļsūknēšan oil layers. The operator steps consistent with the management of the marine environment.
20. This chapter shall not apply to cases where the person's life or with hydrocarbons or mining related objects complete destruction and the threat of discharge is the only way to prevent this danger, and if there is a conviction that the harm of discharge will be less than that which would be suffered if the discharge. Such a discharge to be carried out so as to minimize the possible damage to human life and the marine environment.
21. On the discharge, which made in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 20, should report to the management of the marine environment within 24 hours from the initiation of the discharge, indicating the content of the substances discharged, the possible range, location, and time.
IV. the effects of the liquidation and the emergency action plan for pollution

22. in accordance with the Cabinet of Ministers on 16 august 1994, no. 168 of the provisions of the "rules of the Latvian maritime (maritime code)" 472. point each hydrocarbon exploration or mining jobs involved object operator shall develop an action plan for unexpected pollution (hereinafter referred to as the action plan), which before the authorization for hydrocarbons or mining works approved by the Marine Department.
23. the action plan shall specify in detail the effects of the emergency salvage equipment location (storage) space.
24. the liquidation of the consequences of the emergency equipment deployed and maintained so that contamination of the liquidation measures could start immediately. Operator emergency consequences liquidation measures start immediately, but supports the action plan additional measures provided for in the initiation — no later than eight hours after the crash.
25. the use of Dispersants break oil pollution events may limit, and each use case previously aligned with the management of the marine environment. Gremdējoš substances of oil pollution in the winding-up is prohibited.
26. the liquidation of the consequences of the emergency equipment meets the following conditions: 26.1. quantity of the equipment shall be appropriate to eliminate the potential consequences in the event of an oil spill of hydrocarbons exploration or mining, drilling platforms or pipelines, taking into account the borehole geological location, oil evaporation and emulsifikācij;
26.2. oil collection system, bones and transport materials designed to be used and they are effectively the area prevailing current and wave height conditions (wave height up to 2 metres and current speed up to 1 node), and the equipment is able to operate in the area of the prevailing temperature conditions;
16.3. have checked ice breakdown used salvage equipment could eliminate pollution of low temperature, ice and subglacial conditions;
26.4. equipment intended for oil, significant quantities of different use of hazardous substances pollution, comply with the following conditions: 26.4.1. quantity and type of equipment is such that the user can determine and report on the extent and location of contamination, prevent or reduce substances and eliminate pollution;
26.4.2. if contamination is floating and non-water-soluble, the user is able to limit it, to gather and to transport this rule 26.2. in the circumstances referred to in point.
27. Operator obligations not provided for in the case of environmental pollution: 27.1. immediately to identify the source of contamination;
27.2. in accordance with the action plan to take the necessary action to eliminate pollution;
16.3. to provide for the management of the marine environment: information on the type of contaminant and 27.3.1.;
27.3.2. pollution detection time and place;
pollution source 27.3.3.;
27.3.4. actions taken by the pollution and the Elimination of its causes;
27.3.5. wind and sea conditions instead of pollution.
V. control 28. Marine administration officials made with the environment State control of hydrocarbon exploration and mining works in the Republic of Latvia's economic zone and territorial waters under the following conditions: 28.1. Marine administration each year up to October 20 submitted to the Ministry of Economy control schedule for next year, intending to take the examination at least every six months;
28.2. Marine administration officials shall have the right (in coordination with the operators above) according to schedule and control when reasonably suspects the presence of environmental pollution from hydrocarbon exploration or mining works in the object involved, to control environmental regulations and permit conditions, environmental protection plan and the waste management plan, as well as the liquidation of pollution preparedness and action plan's compliance with the real situation, stay free of charge to the research of hydrocarbons or mining works in the object involved get your function requires information and copies of documents;
28.3. Marine administration shall inform the Ministry of economy and the operator on the control results.
29. The Operator shall ensure: 29.1. Marine administration officials summoned to the hydrocarbon exploration or mining works in the object involved, as well as the appropriate working conditions for monitoring this rule 28.2. in the cases referred to in (a);
29.2. the provision of all necessary information for the management of the marine environment;
29.3. the emission control and automated registration, as well as regular reporting to the Board on the marine environment, environment novadītaj substances in accordance with the conditions laid down in the permit;
29.4. the standing of environmental protection measures, the waste management plan and the follow-up to the action plan, the results of the half-yearly information to the management of the marine environment.
Prime Minister a. SMITH of environmental protection and regional development Minister v. Makarova rules shall enter into force on 2 December 2000 in annex – page 20.
Annex to the Cabinet of Ministers of 28 November 2000 regulations No 412 drilling rile toxicity detection and condition of use water based 1 make rile toxicity testing: the checking determines how the water soluble fraction obtained by 20 hours stirring milkiness in a closed system, then allowing rile rooms two hours to settle (detached) and taking a sample from the middle of the mass, affect: 1.1. seaweed photosynthesis (Skeletonem of costat);
1.2. the growth of Larval Mussels (Mytilus edulis);
1.3. the reproduction of marine crustaceans (tons of Acarti);
1.4. marine fish larvae (Clupea harengus).
2. EC5096h (concentration causing 50% functional changes of testorganism 96 hours) of this annex, the tests referred to in paragraph 1 must be at least 10 000 mg/kg.
3. premium test you can perform the following: 3.1 the biodegradability test (according to organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD) guidelines);
3.2. bioaccumulation test (lipofil the chemicals through the chromatographic method).
4. the oil content of the discharges shall specify, using a standardized method of infrared absorption in three areas (approximately 2925, 2960 and 3025 cm-1).
Environmental protection and regional development Minister v. Makarova in the