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Environmental bill gazetted

The Government is to provide a statutory framework to formalise the existing administrative arrangements for undertaking environmental impact assessments (EIA) on development projects in both private and public sectors.

The statutory requirements are set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment Bill gazetted today (Friday). The Bill will provide a more satisfactory and effective framework to apply with consistency the EIA requirements to major development projects and to implement prevention and mitigation measures recommended in the ELA studies.

A spokesman for the Planning, Environment and Lands Branch said: "The existing administrative arrangements are not entirely satisfactory because in the absence of legal backing, there is practical difficulty to require a project proponent to implement prevention and mitigation measures recommended in an EIA study. This may have dire consequences on our environment."

The spokesman noted that the EIA procedures set out in the Bill were modelled on the present arrangements and would not lead to a significant cost increase in the planning and implementation of a project.

"In working out these procedures, we took into account views expressed by various professional bodies and trade associations during a consultation exercise," the spokesman said.

The Bill empowers the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) to designate development projects which require an EIA and to regulate and enforce the EIA process.

To provide greater certainty for developments, the Bill sets time limits to process each and every step in the entire EIA process, from processing of a study brief to processing of an application for an environmental permit.

Under the Bill, a proponent of a designated project is required to apply to DEP for an EIA study brief and produce an EIA report in accordance with the brief.

If the EIA report meets the requirements set out in the study brief, it will be displayed for public inspection for one month. The Advisory Council on the Environment will be notified and may select a particular report for detailed consideration.