Excellent news . Good for the environment, good for Russia. The Russian government has changed its mind in response to the demands of some of its active citizens concerned with the environmental impact of a motor way. This is a common pattern in much of Europe. Active citizens expose political pressure points. Wise governments take note of these points of concern in their policy. This move will be a great disappointment to the Russia-phobic everywhere. As it stands this is a clear victory for civil society in Russia. And of course delineates a positive trend in Russian politics. It puts environmental concerns at the heart of Russian political debate. Where it belongs.

I wish these people and others would be more active in other ranges of activities. Peaceful protest and voicing a differing view is very acceptable and is important. speaking of Environmental concerns, it is this type of activism that is good for the environment, not forcing us to use a fluorescent lightbulb which may save energy, but it uses tons of plastic and harmful gases. Also it isn't useful for everything, like how will I replace my oven light? A lot of green movements are political and the only time they should cross with politics are when govenment's actions could affect the environment like the Himke woods. Unlike many, I used to live there and it is a beautiful strip of woods and people during winter would cross country ski there. The highway would destroy that. There is no debate about toxic run off and destruction of the environment. There is only debate on global warming because there are many planning to capitalize and make billions off of it. I prefer Russia not to even involve itself in this madness as we have too many problems to drop ourselves in pointless infighting and the abyss of politicized science. Nobody is addressing the pharamaceuticals and hormone modifiers being leached into water supplies making children grow breasts and damaging reproductive organs of animals. It is always good to lower man's impact on the environment, but the guilt is being placed on the individual so the same companies that are of guilt can capitalize on the individual and make even more money and yet nothing changes. BP shouldn't even exist as a company after the damage it has done yet it has policing authority over Americans blocking any news out of the Gulf. Putting it into the political circle is exactly how they are geting away with it.