UK: Environmental impact assessment

The Public Gas Transporter Pipe-line Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 1672) came into force on 15 July 1999, requiring a public gas transporter proposing to undertake pipe-line works to submit an environmental statement in relation to those works and apply to the Secretary of State for consent to carry them out. Pipe-line works in respect of which an environmental statement is required are those with a pipe-line with a diameter of more than 800mm and a length of more than 40 kilometres, as defined by Part I of Schedule 3 of the Regulations. Provision is made for copies of determinations and directions made by the Secretary of State as to the need for an environmental statement to be made available to the public by local planning authorities. Provision is also made to enable persons proposing to carry out pipe-line works to obtain information from the consultation bodies to assist in the preparation of environmental statements. Requirements are listed for publicity for and public consultation on the environmental statement and the application for consent. The Secretary of State must be satisfied before granting a consent that the requirements of the Regulations as to publicity and consultation have been complied with.
(SO, July 1999)

The Environmental Impact Assessment (Land Drainage Improvement Works) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 1783) came into force on 21 July 1999 and apply to specified land drainage projects in England and Wales. The principal requirements of the Regulations are: drainage bodies must determine whether improvement works are likely to have significant effects on the environment; where significant effect on the environment is likely, the drainage body must publicise their intention to prepare an environmental statement, notify specified consultation bodies and prepare an environmental statement; and where a drainage body considers improvement works are unlikely to have environmental effects, they must publicise their intention to carry out the works. They may only proceed if no representations are received giving evidence that the environmental effects are likely to be significant.
(SO, July 1999)

New Regulations on environmental impact assessment of forestry projects came into force in England and Wales on 6 September 1999, under The Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 2228). The Regulations prohibit the carrying out of any work or operations in relation to a “relevant project” unless consent has been obtained from the Forestry Commissioners. A “relevant project” may be one of four types: afforestation; forest road works; forest quarry works; and, new to these Regulations, deforestation. The Regulations include in Schedule 2, thresholds for identification of projects likely to have significant effects on the environment. Where no part of the land is in a sensitive area, afforestation over 5 hectares or more and other forestry projects of 1 hectare or more are deemed unlikely to require assessment. In most sensitive areas a zero threshold applies.
(SO, September 1999)