Policies

Environmental Impact Assessment Act (2021 update)

Last updated: 28 June 2021

This act requires projects to undergo environmental impact assessment procedures. The projects covered by the law are specified in its Annex 1 and include gas distribution pipelines, oil and gas refineries, as well as storage facilities for petroleum, petrochemical, or chemical substances or products with a capacity of 200,000 tons or more. Different assessment and appraisal procedures are required depending on the type of project and its characteristics (e.g. length and diameter pipelines).

 

Environmental impact assessments (EIA) are mandatory for large projects, such as pipelines with an extension of 40km or more. Other projects are subject to a scoping procedure, where the competent authority will determine whether an EIA is required. EIA reports must contain a description of:  

 

    • the project with information of the location, type, scope and design, size and other essential features of the project;
    • the environment and environmental components that would be impacted by the project;
    • the features of the project that are intended to exclude, reduce, or offset the occurrence of significant adverse environmental impacts;
    • planned environmental impact mitigation measures to exclude, reduce or compensate expected significant environmental impacts related to the project;
    • and project alternatives.

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