Sochi relocating two Olympic venues for ecological reasons

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has announced that ecological concerns were more important than expense with respect to relocating two 2014 Winter Olympics venues. Sochi was chosen last year to host the games, despite complaints from environmentalists that some planned construction would damage the region's complex ecology. Now, triggered by recommendations from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Putin has called for the bobsleigh and luge tracks, and the athletes' village to be relocated to other sites after consultation with the International Olympic Committee. ...Both facilities were planned for the undeveloped Grushevy Ridge, adjacent to a nature reserve. Environmentalists had warned that this could possibly damage the pristine area and also obstruct animal foraging tracks. Such a major change in plans is causing concern that it will throw out the construction timetable, as the area already has poor infrastructure and underdeveloped sports facilities.

Sources: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27290&Cr=russia&Cr1=unep and http://www.skiracing.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6610&Itemid=2