River Basin Management Plans

& Strategic Environmental Assessment &

Appropriate Assessment

Ray Spain

Local Authorities Workshop, 3rd December 2008

What is SEA?

Purpose • to ensure that the environmental

consequences are assessed during preparation and prior to adoption of RBMP

• to ensure the RBMP & POMs are as robust as possible in the context of the wider environment

What is the Process?

• Screening – Is an SEA needed?

• Scoping – What should it include?

• Environmental Assessment and Report – Alternatives

• SEA Statement

SEA Screening

• The statutory bodies responsible for SEA in Ireland and

Northern Ireland are

• DEHLG

• EPA

• DCENR

• Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly EHS)

The statutory bodies concluded that SEA is required for RBMPs

and POMs (2007) at a RBD level – 8 SEAs for the island of

Ireland

SEA SCOPING• What should it include?

• Scoping ran in parallel, and fed into, the Water Matters (SWMI) Report

• Scoping is complete! for each of the 8 RBD’s.

• Scoping Documentis available for download atwww.serbd.com

SEA Environmental Assessment Report

• ALL legislative requirements of Schedule 2 of the SEA Regulations (1 - 10)

– Information on the current state of the environment and likely evolution in the absence of the Plan (business as usual)

– Environmental protection objectives relevant to the plan

– Reasons for selecting the alternatives (supplementary measures)

– Likely significant effects on the environment

– Mitigation and monitoring measures

SEA PROCESS

Screening

Overall MethodologyRBMP PROCESS

Initial Characterisation

ScopingSignificant Issues

Alternatives

Status / Risk / Possible Measures

Set Objectives

Action Programme

Objectives / Indicators / Targets

Environmental ReportDraft RBMP

Final RBMP SEA Statement

Consultation

Implementation & review cycle - 2nd RBMP

Habitats Directive Assessment

(Appropriate Assessment)

– Habitats Directive, Article 6 (92/43/EEC)

– SACs, SPAs (Natura 2000 sites), and Ramsar Sites

– Narrow focus - maintaining integrity and conservation objectives of the site

– Protection led

– Precautionary

Four main steps

Screening

Appropriate assessment (avoidance first, then mitigation)

Assessment of alternative solutions

Assessment where no alternatives exist (compensatory measures)

Appropriate Assessment

SEA PROCESS

Screening

Scoping

Alternatives

SEA Statement

Potential Impacts to

SAC / SPA

HABITATS DIRECTIVE ASSESSMENT

Assessment of Alternatives

Assessment Where No Alternatives Exist

Screening

Appropriate Assessment

Role of SEA & HDA

• SEA in decision making

– Provides for high level of protection of the environment

– Informs decision making

– Assist in making more environmentally sustainable decisions

• HDA in decision making – more focused

– Maintains the integrity of site and its features

– Influences decision making

– Prevents development that could harm sites

Integration with RBMP

• RBMP must show how this was done

• SEA– RBMP must have regard to SEA

• HDA – mitigation measures must be included in RBMP

Timetable

Phase I: Environmental Assessment & Report (Jul – Dec 2008)

Phase II: Public Consultation (Jan – Jun 2009)

Phase III: Preparation of Submission Reports (Jul –Aug 2009)

Phase IV: Preparation of SEA Statements (Jul - Sep 2009)

Fixed Milestones: Draft RBMP 22 December 2008

Final RBMP 16 October 2009