A legal dispute in Russia’s Far East has pitted a major port city against the country’s federal environmental watchdog, highlighting tensions over environmental protection in a strategically vital region. An arbitration court has ordered the administration of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the main hub of the Kamchatka Peninsula, to clean up an illegal landfill discovered in a protected coastal area, affirming a directive the city had tried to overturn.
The case centers on a significant dumpsite containing scrap metal, plastic, tires, and construction debris found within the water protection zone of Southern Bay. This bay is part of the larger Avacha Gulf, a major natural harbor on the Pacific Ocean that is also home to a key base for Russia’s Pacific Fleet. The discovery was made by Rosprirodnadzor, Russia’s federal environmental regulator, during an inspection.
In an attempt to nullify the clean-up order, the city administration took the federal agency to court. However, the court sided with the regulator, ruling that the municipal government is ultimately responsible for enforcing environmental standards and clearing unauthorized waste dumps within its jurisdiction. The existence of the landfill itself was not disputed by either party during the proceedings.
The city administration has announced its intention to appeal the verdict, indicating the legal and administrative struggle is set to continue. The conflict underscores the ongoing challenges of enforcing environmental laws and the jurisdictional friction between local and federal authorities in Russia’s key regions.