IEMA's latest update on legislation and guidance relating to environmental impact assessment (EIA)
EIA and fracking
The European Commission has published two short advisory notes related to EIA. The first outlines the commission’s views on how, and when, EIA should apply to the exploration of unconventional hydrocarbons, including the process known as fracking, which is used to extract shale gas.
The second highlights the views of the commission on the application of EIA to ancillary and associated developments, where a core project is undergoing an assessment. Both notes are available to download from the Commission's website.
Welsh EIA Regulations
The Welsh Assembly government has still not issued its consultation on revisions to the planning-related EIA Regulations, but has indicated they will launch in the near future. IEMA members have the opportunity to get an early insight into the issues that will be covered in the consultation by downloading an exclusive Welsh government presentation available via IEMA's website.
IEMA and the new EIA Directive
This summer the European Commission will launch its proposals for a new EIA Directive. IEMA understands that it will focus on making the process of EIA work more effectively with other EU assessments (such as strategic environmental assessment and the Water Framework Directive), and harmonising it between member states, particularly around screening developments for EIA.
IEMA is currently developing criteria to allow it to assess the likely influence of the proposals on EIA practice domestically and to feed the views of the profession into UK responses and discussions in the European Parliament. The Institute wants your input into this process and is running a week-long EIA roadshow, visiting the following five cities in the UK:
- London – 2 July, 1.30–5pm.
- Cardiff – 3 July, 9.30am–1pm.
- Birmingham – 4 July, 9.30am–1pm.
- Manchester – 5 July, 9.30am–1pm.
- Edinburgh – 6 July, 9.30am–1pm.
For more information visit iema.net.
Quality Mark resources library
To mark the first anniversary of the EIA Quality Mark scheme and to celebrate the contribution that registered participants are making to improving the practice of EIA in the UK, IEMA has launched a library of resources available to all members.
The resources include: short articles and thought pieces on practice; case studies of lessons learned from EIA projects; pdf copies of presentations made at EIA events across the UK; and access to previous EIA-related webinars.
