Environmental impact management and planning: - Norway

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Developing the Environmental Impact Assessment and ManagementStrategy for South Africa (EIAMS)Purpose: To develop a strategy to manage environmentalimpacts through a variety of tools.OverviewThe outcomes of the Review of the Efficiency and Effectiveness(REE) of the South African EIA system are being considered ina strategy and action plan that will provide for an improvedway forward for environmental impact assessment andmanagement. This will be done by identifying, developing,improving and implementing different tools and mechanismsfor impact assessment, mitigation, management andgovernance. It will also focus on matters related to publicparticipation and transformation.EIA, and this is not always the best or most applicable wayfor judging or deciding on projects. It is time-consumingand expensive, and is currently prescribed for all activities,even though the impacts may be well known in somecases. The strategy will identify and develop moreappropriate tools for specific activities to be more timeandcost-effective, as it will rationalise the use of the EIA byintroducing alternative or complementary tools for impactassessment and management.Possible further workThe development of this strategy is a three-year project,and there is a need for several specialist studies andworkshops (even at national level), as well as a nationalconference. The department does not have enoughmoney to meet all these needs.ProgressThe results of the REE were presented at the 10 Years of EIAin South Africa Conference and it was agreed that it shouldbe incorporated in the EIAMS for South Africa. This will be aninclusive participatory process. In order to ensure broad buyinand participation, the following representative structureshave been established: an advisory group, a referencegroup, a steering committee, a project coordinator, taskteam coordinators and theme task teams. The three mainfocus areas will be governance and administration, capacity,skills and transformation, and impacts and instruments.BenefitsAt the moment, the only regulatory tool prescribed bylegislation for impact management in South Africa is theEnvironmental impact assessment and management in action on the edge of the Swartvlei Lake,Sedgefield, Western Cape, South Africa.8
Developing a fee structure for EIA applicationsPurpose: To generate an income to improve the capacityin all 10 competent authorities.OverviewSection 24(5) of NEMA, as amended, stipulates that:“The Minister, and every MEC, with the concurrenceof the Minister, may make regulations consistent withsubsection (4):(c) prescribing fees to be paid for:(i) the consideration and processing of applicationsfor environmental authorisations; and(ii) the review of documents, processes and proceduresby specialists on behalf of the competent authority.”To date, no such fees have been prescribed, althoughprovision has been made for the possibility of chargingfees in the EIA regulations of 2006.In order to avoid confusion, duplication and inconsistencies,the DEA and the nine provincial environmental departmentshave combined efforts in the investigation into anddevelopment of a fee structure for applications in terms ofNEMA and the NEMA EIA regulations.ProgressA service provider has been appointed and a draftstructure has been developed. Various models have beeninvestigated. It has been recommended to start off with aTerje Lind, Knut Grønntun and a cultural guide from South African National Parks, during the 2008visit to Mapungubwe Hill, one of South Africa’s World Heritage Sites on which several EIA applicationshave been received.flat rate of R1 000 per application for a basic assessmentand R10 000 for a scoping and EIA application.BenefitsCharging a fee for a permit or authorisation from an authorityis not new. It has just not yet been applied in this field for avariety of reasons. The money will be pooled and ploughedback to be used for capacity enhancement and to assistcommunities with projects for which they do not have funds.Possible further workThe flat rate is seen as the first phase and a moresophisticated system can be implemented later to providefor sliding scales linked to the cost of a project and thepotential negative impact it might have. This will require alot of further detailed work. The implications of fees for theintegrated environmental authorisation system also needto be investigated.9
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Page 7 and 8: Two EIA success storiesThere are a
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Page 22 and 23: Case study: Wind farming inNorwayTh
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Environmental impact management and planning: - Norway

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