MOSCOW, July 20 (RAPSI) — The Tenth Commercial Court of Appeals reversed a lower court ruling against AO International Airport Sheremetyevo that had been ordered to pay 74.3 million rubles (about $1 million) to the town of Khimki for the environmental damage.

The airport appealed against the decision of the Commercial Court of the Moscow Region of February 2, made in favor of a claim submitted by the Moscow Region Ministry of Environment.

At that time, the court after examining the claim ruled to collect the funds from Sherermetyevo. The amount was ordered to be transferred to the budget of the Khimki Urban District as a compensation of harm to the environment.

According to the claim, local residents informed environmental authorities about the fact of dumping of untreated sewage into a creek running from the airport territory. In 2019, the Ministry initiated an administrative case over these facts. As it was established, it was Sheremetyevo airport that used a waste treatment facility on the said creek under a concessionary agreement.

Environmental authorities estimated that harm to the ecology made 74.3 million rubles; the airport was found guilty of the respective administrative offense. After Sheremetyevo had failed to comply with that decision, the authority turned to courts.

The lower commercial court then rejected the respondent’s arguments that the Ministry of Environment of the Moscow Region was not a proper claimant in the case.