 Russian oil pipelines state company Transneft was planning to build a trunk pipeline that would have come within of the lake shore in a zone of substantial seismic activity.Environmental activists in Russia, Greenpeace, Baikal pipeline opposition and local citizens were strongly opposed to these plans, due to the possibility of an accidental oil spill that might cause significant damage to the environment.According to the Transneft's president, numerous meetings with citizens near the lake were held in towns along the route, especially in Irkutsk.