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Welcome to your new EIA Regulations! Josh Fothergill MIEMA CEnv
Policy Lead – Impact Assessment
IEMA
16 May 2017
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• Reflections - EIA Directive Amendment
• EIA & Brexit
• EIA Directive Context
• UK EIA Transposition
• The UK’s 2017 EIA Regulations
Q&A
Outline
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EC Public Consultation
2009 2011
2014
2013
20122010
2011/92/EU
EU EIA
Effectiveness
Review
EC proposals for revising EIA
Directive
EIA Directive amendment2014/52/EU
Proposal Revised by EU Parliament &
Council
New EIA Directive
2017
Member State Transposition16 May 2017
Overview: Revising the EIA Directive
EIA and Brexit
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BREXIT & EIA in the UK
UK has today Transposed 2014 Directive
amendment, but future legal challenges
(>April 2019) likely to end with UK Courts
UK EIA Regulations will be covered in
the forthcoming Great Repeal Bill
Future amendments to EIA Directive very unlikely to directly apply in UK
In future, UK EIA Regulations will undergo a performance review at least every 5 years
EIA Directive Context
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Revisions to EU EIA Directive (1985 – 2014)
EIA Directive Time-limit for transposition
85/337/EEC 3 July 1988
97/11/EC – Amendment 14 March 1999
2003/35/EC – Amendment 25 June 2005
2009/31/EC – Amendment 25 June 2011
2011/92/EU Consolidation
No transposition required
2014/52/EU – Amendment 16 May 2017
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2014/52/EU European Commission Goals
Core Rule:
• Maintain the level of environmental protection established within the existing EIA Directive
Three Aims to drive Effective EIA:
- Harmonisation between Member States
- Efficiency to streamline multiple EU assessments & reduce burdens
- Quality moving away from a purely procedural focus in EIA laws
Also: Improve consideration of Climate Change and Biodiversity in EIA
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2014/52/EUSignificant Scale of Change
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Transposition – EU Progress
EU Member States
• Complete: Bulgaria, (Poland), Luxembourg, Cyprus, Slovenia
• 16 May 2017: UK, Sweden, Netherlands, (Poland)
• Later: Portugal
http://uvp.de/de/uvp-report/jg30/jg30h2UVP Journal on: Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK
What didn’t Happen?
• Annex 1 & 2 changes
• Screen ALL Annex 2
• Mandatory Scoping
• Integration of HRA, WFD, SEA, IED
• Ecosystem Services
• Requirement Best Env Alternative
What DidChange?
• The UK’s EIA Regulations:
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/571/made
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Main Changes via 2014/52/EU
• A definition of EIA
• Joint / Co-ordinated HD
• Time limits
• Screening Revisions
• New / revised topics
• Scoping Revisions
• Competent Experts
• ES Content
• Examination of ES and sufficient expertise in CA
• Decision Notice
• Monitoring
• Penalties & Conflict Interest
• Transitional arrangements
UK EIA TranspositionConsultations
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Transposing 2014/52/EU into UK EIA Regimes
Changes in two main formats:
- Areas with little discretion
- Areas where Member States have some flexibility
Also: Opportunity for wider changes and improvements to both Regulations and Practice
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UK Transposition Consultations
• Scotland: T&CP and other EIA regimes Oct’16
• Wales: T&CP EIA (Wales) regime Nov’16
• Defra & others: various EIA Regimes Jan ‘17
• DCLG: T&CP & DCO Feb ‘17
• Northern Ireland: Planning Feb ’17
• DfT: various EIA regimes Mar ‘17
• BEIS: Electricity Mar ‘ 17
Most of Regulations have ‘gone live’ Today
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IEMA Transposition Activity
IEMA responded to all UK EIA Consultations
• Consultation responses across 22 EIA Regulatory Regimes
• 10 August 2016 – 16 March 2017
• Scotland > Wales > Defra (et al) > DCLG > N. Ireland > DFT > BEIS
Involved with process since 2008
Broad and on-going member engagement since 2010
Preparatory webinars and guidance since 2014
Member views on ConsultationsChallenges & Opportunities
“Much of this is already good practice” “Avoid undue burden”
“An opportunity to streamline”
“How will x,y,z… work in practice?”
EIA PracticeOverview
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Consultation Concerns
Three main concerns:
- EIA Experts
- LPA Expertise
- ES ‘based on’ scoping opinion
Also: A key Opportunity
Increased interest in EIA provides window to drive more proportionate approach
The Town & Country Planning (EIA) Regulations 2017
SI 571 2017available online now:www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/571/made
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Reg 2: Interpretations
• Consultation Bodies
• Local Advertisement
• Monitoring Measure
• Environmental Impact Assessment - ish
Reg 3
• Remains the ‘teeth’ of EIA Regs
• Unchanged; however, EIA now means something…
Regulations 2 & 3
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Reg 4(1) – Definition of EIA:
• Preparation of ES
• Consultation and Publicity
• Cross Reference ‘steps in Regulation 26’ (?Gold-plating?)
Reg 4(2)
• Core of Assessment
• LPA / SoS have / have access to sufficient expertise to examine ES
Regulations 4 - New
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○ Population and human health○ Biodiversity , particular species
and habitats 92/43/EEC & 2009/147/EC
○ Land○ Soil
○ Water○ Air○ Climate○ Material assets○ Cultural heritage○ Landscape
Broader scope of issues to be considered:
Operational Effects Major Accidents & Disasters
Regulation 4 (2)-(4): Subject Matter of Assessment
Focus on significant effects on listed topics.
Screening – Parts 2 & 3
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Future Screening Request - A Plan - Description of Development
- Development proposal- Sensitivities of proposed
location- Aspects of Env likely to be
significantly affected- Description of likely significant
effects from a list of specifics- Any other information, developer
wishes to provide incl: mitigation
Current Screening Request - A Plan - Description of Development
- Any other such information the developer wishes to provide
Regulation 6 (2) (a) – (f)Enhanced screening request submission
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Regulation 76: Screening Transitional Arrangements
Screening
• Screen request / screened prior to 16 May 2017 follow former 2011 Regs (as amended) screening in future.
• Screened on / after 16 May new Regulation for Screening.
Potentially complex LPA to track for next few years.
As such
Consultants need to proactively manage for clients
Part 4:Preparing ES
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• Scoping Opinions
• Scoping Directions
Reg 17
• Informing LPA of intention to submit an ES
• Triggers LPA to contact CBs who are required to contact developer and indicate the environmental information they have available.
Regulations 15 - 17
Part 5:ES Submission & Decisions
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Reg 18(3)
• Minimum Content of ES
• Makes reference to amended Schedule 4, reasonable alternatives amends
Reg 18(4)
• ES based on latest scoping opinion
Reg 18(5)
• Developer ensure ES prep Competent Experts
• Statement outlining expertise / qualifications
Regulation 18
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Reasonable Alternatives – Schedule 4 (2) & (3)
Remain developer led – ‘studied by the developer’However, more effort may be needed in ES:
reasonable alternatives = (for example in terms of develop’ntdesign, technology, location, size and scale), and • Indication of main reasons selecting chosen option, incl:
comparison of the environmental effects.Plus…• An outline of the likely evolution of baseline scenario without
implementation of the project
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Scoping
Scoping remains:
• Where requested by developer, a LPA will issue opinion on scope and level of detail for ES.
• LPA consult developer and authorities before it gives opinion.
New element:
Environmental Statement must be “based on” scoping opinion where provided = Regulation 18 (4) (a)
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ES = ‘based on’ Scoping Opinion
Concerns raised as risk to iterative and proportionate EIA.
DCLG and NI consultations attempt to address in draft Regs:
“based on the most recent scoping opinion or direction issued (so far as the proposed development remains materially the same as the proposed development to that opinion or direction)”
What does this mean?
- Can a 2nd / 3rd scoping opinion be requested?
- What % of development must remain ‘materially the same’ AND who makes this judgement?
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Reg 25 - Further Info Requests
• Directly relevant to reaching reasoned concs
• Suspend determination
Reg 26 – LPA / SoS
• Examine Env info
• Reach Reasoned Conclusions on Sign Effects
• Integrate Conclusions into decision
• If grant PP, consider whether monitor
• Up-to-date conclusions & Monitoring detail
Regulations 25 and 26
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Regulation 27: Co-ordination HRA
2014/52/EU require: HD & BD links.
[Optional: WFD, IED, SEA, etc]
Joint / Co-ordinated approaches available
UK Approach = Consistent across 22 EIA Regimes!• Co-ordinated HRA and EIA, but NO wider linkages in Regulations
• Co-ordinated by LPA / SoS
Part 6: Directions and Decisions Availability
Reg 29 – Info accompany Decision
• Reasoned conclusions
• Conditions
• Design features & mitigation
• monitoring
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Parts 7 - 11 7. Specific cases
8. Unauthorised development
9. ROMP
10. Sign Transboundary Effects
11. Exemptions
Part 12:Miscellaneous
• Reg 64: Objectivity & Bias
• Reg 71: Review EIA Regs
• Reg 76: Transition and Revocation
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Transitional Arrangements – Regulation 76
Screening
• Screened prior to 16 May 2017 follow existing screening in future.
• Screened on / after 16 May new Regulation for Screening.
The Rest of EIA Amends
• Scoping request / ES submission pre-16 May, existing Regs.
• Scoping request / ES sub on / after 16 May, new Regs.
Potentially complex for CA / LPA to track for next few years.
IEMA Support
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IEMA 2017 EIA Regulations Roll-out
• Today!: EIA Regulations launch conference, London
• 17 May: EIA Regulations launch webinar
• 24 May: Scottish EIA Regulations launch conference
• 31 May: Welsh EIA Regulations workshop: Feat: Welsh Govt
• 13 July: Webinar on Major Accidents / Disasters
• 18 July: Liverpool,within Proportionate EIA Strategy launch event
Nothing near you – Organise one! With the IA Network & your Region
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IEMA & EIA Transitional Guidance
Recent / New Guidance on:
• Shaping Quality Development (Alternatives & Scoping) – Nov ‘15
• Climate Change Resilience & Adaptation – Nov ‘15
• Delivering Quality Development (Monitor & mitigate) – July ‘16
• Climate Change GHG Emissions – Today
• Health – Today
https://www.iema.net/policy/ia/eia-transposition
