What is EIA
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a statutory procedure in which the environmental impacts of a project are determined. The assessment is the responsibility of the party implementing the project.
The EIA studies the impacts of the project on, for example, the following issues:
- human health, living conditions and comfort;
- soil, water, air, climate, vegetation, organisms, their mutual interaction, and biodiversity;
- community structure, buildings, landscape, townscape and cultural heritage;
- utilisation of natural resources.
Purpose of the EIA Procedure
The purpose of the procedure is to
- promote the communication to and involvement of citizens, even in the early stages of the project
- highlight the environmental impacts that should be taken into consideration in the planning.
No project-related decisions are involved in the EIA, nor does it limit the citizens’ opportunities to contribute to the project in other ways. The EIA procedure is performed before any decisions on the licences and permits are made, and another of its objectives is to offer additional information for decision-making.
The environmental impact assessment report is mandatory when applying for a decision-in-principle concerning, for instance, a new nuclear power plant or a repository for spent nuclear fuel. When applying for a decision-in-principle concerning a new nuclear power plant, another decision-in-principle must be applied for in connection with the disposal of spent fuel from the new plant.
