1 / 12

River Basin Management Plans & Strategic Environmental Assessment & Appropriate Assessment

River Basin Management Plans & Strategic Environmental Assessment & Appropriate Assessment. Ray Spain Local Authorities Workshop, 3 rd December 2008. What is SEA?. Purpose to ensure that the environmental consequences are assessed during preparation and prior to adoption of RBMP

katoka
Download Presentation

River Basin Management Plans & Strategic Environmental Assessment & Appropriate Assessment

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. River Basin Management Plans& Strategic Environmental Assessment & Appropriate Assessment Ray Spain Local Authorities Workshop, 3rd December 2008

  2. What is SEA? Purpose • to ensure that the environmental consequences are assessed during preparation and prior to adoption of RBMP • to ensure the RBMP & POMs are as robust as possible in the context of the wider environment

  3. What is the Process? • Screening – Is an SEA needed? • Scoping – What should it include? • Environmental Assessment and Report – Alternatives • SEA Statement

  4. SEA Screening • The statutory bodies responsible for SEA in Ireland and Northern Ireland are • DEHLG • EPA • DCENR • Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly EHS) The statutory bodies concluded that SEA is required for RBMPs and POMs (2007) at a RBD level – 8 SEAs for the island of Ireland

  5. SEA SCOPING • What should it include? • Scoping ran in parallel, and fed into, the Water Matters (SWMI) Report • Scoping is complete! for each of the 8 RBD’s. • Scoping Documentis available for download atwww.serbd.com

  6. SEA EnvironmentalAssessment Report • ALL legislative requirements of Schedule 2 of the SEA Regulations (1 - 10) • Information on the current state of the environment and likely evolution in the absence of the Plan (business as usual) • Environmental protection objectives relevant to the plan • Reasons for selecting the alternatives (supplementary measures) • Likely significant effects on the environment • Mitigation and monitoring measures

  7. Significant Issues Scoping Status / Risk / Possible Measures Objectives / Indicators / Targets Set Objectives Alternatives Action Programme Draft RBMP Environmental Report Consultation Final RBMP SEA Statement Implementation & review cycle - 2nd RBMP Overall Methodology RBMP PROCESS SEA PROCESS Initial Characterisation Screening

  8. Habitats Directive Assessment(Appropriate Assessment) • Habitats Directive, Article 6 (92/43/EEC) • SACs, SPAs (Natura 2000 sites), and Ramsar Sites • Narrow focus - maintaining integrity and conservation objectives of the site • Protection led • Precautionary Four main steps Screening Appropriate assessment (avoidance first, then mitigation) Assessment of alternative solutions Assessment where no alternatives exist (compensatory measures)

  9. Appropriate Assessment HABITATS DIRECTIVE ASSESSMENT SEA PROCESS Potential Impacts to SAC / SPA Screening Screening Appropriate Assessment Scoping Alternatives Assessment of Alternatives Assessment Where No Alternatives Exist SEA Statement

  10. Role of SEA & HDA • SEA in decision making • Provides for high level of protection of the environment • Informs decision making • Assist in making more environmentally sustainable decisions • HDA in decision making – more focused • Maintains the integrity of site and its features • Influences decision making • Prevents development that could harm sites

  11. Integration with RBMP • RBMP must show how this was done • SEA • RBMP must have regard to SEA • HDA • mitigation measures must be included in RBMP

  12. Timetable Phase I: Environmental Assessment & Report (Jul – Dec 2008) Phase II: Public Consultation (Jan – Jun 2009) Phase III: Preparation of Submission Reports (Jul –Aug 2009) Phase IV: Preparation of SEA Statements (Jul - Sep 2009) Fixed Milestones: Draft RBMP 22 December 2008 Final RBMP 16 October 2009

More Related