Transcript Water Summit Oct 08 - South Eastern River Basin District

River Basin Management Plans
&
Strategic Environmental Assessment &
Appropriate Assessment
Ray Spain
Local Authorities Workshop, 3rd December 2008
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
What is the Process?
• Screening – Is an SEA needed?
• Scoping – What should it include?
• Environmental Assessment and
Report – Alternatives
• SEA Statement
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
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 Document
is available for
download at
www.serbd.com
SEA Environmental Assessment 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
Overall Methodology
RBMP PROCESS
SEA PROCESS
Initial Characterisation
Screening
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
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)
Appropriate Assessment
HABITATS DIRECTIVE
ASSESSMENT
SEA PROCESS
Screening
Scoping
Alternatives
SEA Statement
Potential
Impacts to
SAC / SPA
Screening
Appropriate Assessment
Assessment of Alternatives
Assessment Where No
Alternatives Exist
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
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
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
Fixed Milestones:
(Jul - Sep 2009)
Draft RBMP 22 December 2008
Final RBMP 16 October 2009