Est-For seeking local governments interested in pulp mill
Est-For Invest, the company that had sought to build a pulp mill worth €1 billion near Tartu, wants to work together with interested local governments to find an area in which it may still be suitable to build the mill.
Est-For Invest board member Aadu Polli confirmed the company's willingness to broaden the area that they would take into consideration. He noted that new solutions have been found for directing the fresh water necessary for production and the resulting treated wastewater over longer distances.
"Currently we wish to speak first and foremost with local governments," Polli said. "Our interest is in determining which local governments are interested. Should it appear that such local governments exist and theoretically we could build the mill on their territory, then the next step would be studies."
According to the board member, Est-For is open to talks, and local governments are welcome to get in touch with the company themselves.
Possible interest in Southeastern Estonia
Setomaa Municipal Council Chairman Rein Järvelill wrote on social media that he and Municipal Mayor Raul Kudre on Wednesday met with representatives of Est-For Invest who remain interested in finding opportunities and a location to build their pulp mill.
"Technically it would be possible to build the mill somewhere near where Räpina, Võru and Setomaa Municipalities meet," Järvelill said. "I currently cannot say whether this is a serious plan or whether this plan will go anywhere. The building of such a large industry is a long and public process in which all interested parties will have the opportunity to take part."
The bill for the termination of the procedure for a national designated spatial plan with a view to building large pulp mill in Tartu County was completed in the Ministry of Finance earlier this month.
Minister of Public Administration Janek Mäggi (Centre) commented at the time that regardless of what the government ultimately decides, the termination of the procedure did not mean that similar plants could not be established in Estonia in the future. He noted that a specific national designated spatial plan was being terminated, but a different location for the pulp mill could be sought in the future, with a different capacity, or with the designated spatial plan of a local government.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
