Environmental impact assessment F:\vojtech\Pictures\Obrázky\logo katedry\logoENG.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 4.gif Basics of EU Environmental Law Autumn 2017 Mgr. Vojtěch Vomáčka, Ph.D., LL.M. 1)Public participation in general •- Procedural rights, often constitutional, sources: IL, EU, NL •2) The Aarhus Convention (1998) •- Parties: MSs + EU + more, the three pillars: information, participation, justice; non-compliance mechanism, a 'floor', not a 'ceiling'‚ interest and rights, important definitions (the public, the public concerned), list of projects, GMO amendment •3) EU level •- Regulation for the EU institutions, directives in first two pillars for the MSs (EIA, IPPC), restrictive interpretation (CJEU – individual concern) •4) National level •- The Aarhus Convention is not directly applicable (but as far as possible), EU directives are directly applicable, but do not deal with much with specific conditions (scope of review, costs and fees, size and activity of the NGOs) F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Last seminar summary 1)EIA and SEA in general 2)EU level 3)Case law F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Today F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA/SEA EIA is “the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals or projects prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made.” •(www.unesco.org) •”SEA is a systematic process for evaluating the environmental consequences of proposed policy, plan or programme initiative in order to ensure they are fully included and appropriately addressed at the earliest appropriate stage of decision making on par with economic and social consideration” • •(Sadler,Verheem 1996) F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA/SEA • How • Where • If •Why •Policies – Plans - Programmes •Projects •SEA •EIA 6 •Policies • Plans & Programmes covered by SEA Directive Projects covered by EIA Directive F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Environmental Assessment F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Impact assessment? •International law – Customary law, Espoo convention (transboundary assessment)… •EU law – EIA Directive (2011/92/EU), SEA Directive (2001/42/EC). •National law http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2014/10/23/belchat ow-power-station-europe.jpg?itok=WjDwewR2 http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/CPR/ships/LandR/smelter.jpg F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Customary international law? http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1000000/images/_1003618_nuclear300.jpg http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bbrBjbd-69k/0.jpg http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1005000/images/_1009599_czech_republic_new150.gif http://imgs.idnes.cz/zahranicni/A001102_HAS_WULL2_VELKA_V.JPG F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif http://www.lizasreef.com/HOPE%20FOR%20THE%20OCEANS/Images%20HFTO/Palau-sml.jpg http://s.wsj.net/media/Micronesia_Prague_Jan_4_E_20100115085406.jpg Customary international law? F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Impact assessment? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCg800TYf4k F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - General objective •What does the EIA Directive apply to? •projects likely to have significant effects on the environment (by virtue, inter alia, of their characteristics, size and location) •What are these projects subject to? •a requirement for development consent •an assessment of their effects •When? •before consent is given F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - What assessment? • EIA must identify, describe, assess • likely direct and indirect environmental effects of activities on –human beings, –fauna, flora, soil, water, air, climate, landscape, –material assets, cultural heritage –the interaction between those factors • F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - What projects? • •Annex I projects • • •Annex II projects • •Mandatory •EIA • •Screening •by Competent authorities to decide if •EIA needed or not http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0092&from=EN F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - What assessment? EIA directive: Article 2/1: Member States shall adopt all measures necessary to ensure that, before development consent is given, projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue, inter alia, of their nature, size or location are made subject to a requirement for development consent and an assessment with regard to their effects on the environment. Article 4/1. Subject to Article 2(4), projects listed in Annex I shall be made subject to an assessment in accordance with Articles 5 to 10. 2. Subject to Article 2(4), for projects listed in Annex II, Member States shall determine whether the project shall be made subject to an assessment in accordance with Articles 5 to 10. Member States shall make that determination through: (a) a case-by-case examination; or (b) thresholds or criteria set by the Member State. 15 Italy C-87/02 (Lotto zero-Variante, tra Teramo e Giulianova, alla strada statale SS 80’) F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif •Projects of the classes listed in Annex II shall be made subject to an assessment, in accordance with Articles 5 to 10, where Member States consider that their characteristics so require. http://online.stradeeautostrade.it/img/news/articles/100013103099004/100013103099004_.jpg 16 Italy C-87/02 •MSs have discretion about the methods they use to specify whether a project is subject to EIA. •But this method must not undermine the Directive’s objective. •A decision that a project does not require EIA must contain or be accompanied by all the information that makes it possible to check that it is based on adequate screening, compliant with the Directive. F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif 17 Ireland C-392/96 •Thresholds cannot exclude all projects of a certain type UNLESS, when viewed as a whole, they would not be likely to have significant environmental effects. •Small-scale projects can have significant effects on the environment. •Thresholds are to help in screening, not exempt classes. •Cumulative effects of projects must be taken into account. F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Impact assessment? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uReVJYe0qw F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - examples •ANNEX I •Long-distance railway lines •Motorways, express roads, roads of four lanes or more (of at least 10Km) •Waste disposal installations –for hazardous waste –for non hazardous waste (above 100 tonnes/day) •Waste water treatment plants (above 150000 p.e.) •[+ changes or extensions of Annex I projects meeting Annex I thresholds] •…. •ANNEX II •Construction of railways and roads not included in Annex I •Waste disposal installations and waste water treatment plants not included in Annex I •Urban development projects •Changes or extensions of Annex I and II projects that may have adverse environmental effects •[+ modifications not included in Annex I] •…. F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif EIA - procedure 20 Screening Scoping Environmental information Consultation on environmental information Decision Only for Annex II projects Upon request of the developer The “Report” Public, Env. Authorities... Takes account of env.inf and consultations F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - screening •Answers the question: is EIA required? (Annex II projects) •The guiding principle: are significant environmental effects likely? •If yes ð EIA needed •If no ð no EIA needed Screening Scoping Env. info Consultation on env.info Decision F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - screening Screening Scoping Env. info Consultation on env.info Decision •Determination through: –Case by case examination • and / or –Thresholds or criteria •Annex III criteria must always be taken into account – characteristics, location, potential impact • ð avoid “salami slicing”! •Screening determination made available to the public F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - scoping •Interaction between competent authority, developer, environmental authorities •Before development consent application is submitted •Answers the question “what should be covered by the environmental information?” •Opinion by the competent authority •By request of developer • Screening Scoping Env. info Consultation on env.info Decision F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif EIA - Environmental information “the report” Screening Scoping Env. info Consultation on env.info Decision •Project description •Likely significant environmental effects (and forecasting methods) •Main alternatives and reasons for the choice taking account of the environmental effects •Cumulative effects •Short term and temporary effects •Mitigation measures •Non-technical summary • F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif EIA/SEA •plan or programme •Project (building, activity) •SEA report for the plan or progamme •EIA report for the development consent PLANNING PERMITTING •EIA •EIA •EIA LAND USE BUILDING ACTIVITY BUILDING •Project (building, activity) •Project (building, activity) F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif 26 Informing and consulting 1.Environmental authorities (Art. 5,6) • (scoping, env.information) • 2.Public concerned (Art. 4,6,10) 3. 3.Other Member States affected by the project (incl. env. authorities and public concerned in those MSs) (Art. 7,9) F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif 27 Informing and consulting the public concerned •Screening determination to be made available •Public can express an opinion : –on environmental information –on the development consent request •When final decision is taken, public must be informed of: –its contents and reasons, –attached conditions and mitigation measures –[after June 2005: information about public participation process] F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif 28 •Definition of public and public concerned: “public affected, or likely to be affected by, or having an interest in, the decision making procedure” , including NGOs. Art. 1(2) •National defence projects not automatically excluded from EIA Art. 1(4) •Strenghtened public consultation provisions: • early in the decision-making procedure, detailed list of information to be provided, reasonable time-frames Art. 6(2,3) Main provisions of „the Aarhus“ Directive 2003/35/EC F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif 29 •New provisions on public access to a review procedure Art. 10(a) •Information provided to the public on the final decision needs to include information on the public participation process Art. 9(1) •Changes or extensions : –of Annex I projects meeting Annex I thresholds (if any) ð in Annex I (22) –of other Annex I projects, and of Annex II projects ð in Annex II (13) Main provisions of „the Aarhus“ Directive 2003/35/EC F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif 30 • •SELECTED •CASE-LAW F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif 31 F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif CJEU – Basic principles •The meaning of the EIA Directive is not static •Affected by technical development •The EIA Directive has “a wide scope and a broad purpose” (Kraaijeveld). •Member States’ discretion is limited. •Consistent emphasis on the likely environmental effects of proposed projects. •Exemptions to be interpreted narrowly. • F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif 32 The Kraaijeveld case C-72/95 (South Holland Provincial Executive approved a zoning plan „Partial modification of zoning plans in connection with dyke reinforcement“) •“The wording of the directive indicates that it has a wide scope and a broad purpose.” –Consistently quoted in subsequent cases by the Court (eg Bozen, Ireland). •Uniform interpretation cannot be determined by one language. •Some good news: criteria and thresholds have a role. – F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif 33 Linster C-287/98 •Individuals can rely on a Directive that has not been transposed on time. •National courts are not restricted to the national law but can use the directive itself. •Need for uniform application and principle of equality require autonomous uniform meanings for expressions in EC law. F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif 34 Spain C-227/01 - Valencia-Tarragona railway line, Las Palmas-Oropesa section F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif • http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Euromed_Barcelona-Alicante_entrando_en_la_estaci %C3%B3n_de_Tarragona.jpg 35 Spain C-227/01 - Valencia-Tarragona railway line, Las Palmas-Oropesa section •Annex I point 7 must be understood to include the doubling of an existing track, and not a mere modification. •That the case concerned a short section of a long distance route is not relevant: If the argument of the Spanish Government were upheld, the effectiveness of Directive 85/337 could be seriously compromised, since the national authorities concerned would need only to split up a long-distance project into successive shorter sections in order to exclude from the requirements of the Directive both the project as a whole and the sections resulting from that division. •The new track would obviously create significant new nuisances, so no need to prove the existence of concrete negative effects – likelihood is sufficient. •Note: this case pre-dates amendments by Directive 97/11. • F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Shrnutí minulého semináře F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif 36 F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Salami slicing http://hips.htvapps.com/htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/ibmig/cms/image/wyff/34201516-34201516.jpg F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Shrnutí minulého semináře F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif 37 F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Transboundary EIA/SEA http://cdn.i0.cz/public-data/29/4f/8ad2a5dc31e694844762de310076_r16:9_w640_h360_g80e2a220d40511e5aa 720025900fea04.jpg?hash=cead71338dbea8a0793b60653a551c9a 38 F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif Delena Wells C-201/02 •Grant of a new consent for mining operations at Conygar Quarry without an environmental impact assessment having first been carried out F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif http://www.portisheadweb.org.uk/wcpr/wpimages/wp02f380c5_06.png 39 F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif Delena Wells C-201/02 •In two (or more) stage consent procedures, assessment of environmental effects must be as soon as they can all be identified and assessed. •If MSs fail to carry out EIA, they must take measures to remedy that failure. These might include the revocation or suspension of a consent, or compensation if an individual has suffered harm. F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif 40 F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif Practical application •CJEU and Commission rely on EU law – ie the Directive, not the national transpositions. •In considering difficult cases, such as many infrastructure projects, reflect on the approach the Court would take. •Consider the context and purpose of the legislation. F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 2001/42/EC Applicable from 21st July 2004 F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif Cohesion Fund Workshop - Prague, 24-25 February 2005 42 –prepared and/or adopted by an authority at national, regional or local level AND; –required by legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions. – Definition includes: –co-financed by the EC, modifications. – –Typically urban plans, waste management plans,… – • F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif What is a plan or programme? (Article 2) F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif Cohesion Fund Workshop - Prague, 24-25 February 2005 43 Which plans and programmes require SEA? •Article 3(2) - plans and programmes that always require environmental assessment: •(a) prepared for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, industry, transport, waste/ water management, telecommunications, tourism, town & country planning or land use • AND • which set the framework for future development consent of projects listed • in the EIA Directive. F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif Cohesion Fund Workshop - Prague, 24-25 February 2005 44 Which plans and programmes require SEA? •Article 3(2) - plans and programmes that always require environmental assessment: •(b) which, in view of the likely effect on sites, have been determined to require an assessment under Article 6 or 7 of the Habitats Directive. F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif Cohesion Fund Workshop - Prague, 24-25 February 2005 45 Which plans and programmes require SEA? –Article 3(9) - Exemptions: –National defence, civil emergency, financial or budget plans/programmes –Structural Funds Regulations (inc EAGGF) for current programming period 2000-2006/7 – F:\DATA\grafika\spodek.gif Thank you for your attention J To be continued… F:\DATA\grafika\pruh 5.gif