Environmental impact assessment
- Permit or other obligation
- Nationwide except the Åland Islands
- Public service
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a regulatory procedure for determining the environmental impacts of a project. It is also designed to promote opportunities for citizens to participate in and influence the planning process. Project types that always require the EIA are listed in the Government decree. These include e.g. the construction of motorways, landfill sites and power stations. ...
Do the following
Project coordinators:
Submit the assessment programme to the ELY Centre (responsible authority). In the programme, describe what implementation options and impacts will be investigated during the planning stage, and how the assessment and the related communication and public consultation activities will be organised. When the options and impacts have been determined, collate the information and opinions and statements submitted during consultation into an assessment report along with the ELY Centre’s statement. Submit the report to the ELY Centre.
Parties who wish to participate in the EIA:
The ELY Centre will publish a notice of the EIA programme and report (EIA notices). The notice specifies where the documents can be inspected. Read the documents and attend public consultation events organised by the ELY Centre. Opinions and statements on the assessment programme and report can be submitted in writing to the responsible ELY Centre. They can be sent electronically as an attachment to the general form of the ELY Centre, or by post. ELY Centres’ contact information is available under Service locations. Information about current and closed EIA processes is published on the website of the environmental administration.
To whom and on what terms
The project coordinator must have a sufficiently detailed project plan so that the impacts can be assessed and the ability to implement the EIA can be verified.
Deadline
The authority cannot approve the project until it has received the assessment report and decision, and, if applicable, international consultation documents concerning cross-border impacts.
Processing time
The ELY Centre will issue its statement on the EIA programme to the project coordinator within one month after the end of the consultation and hearing period. The decision must be submitted to the project coordinator within two months after the end of the consultation and hearing period.
Period of validity
The ELY Centre may specify the validity period of the decision, if necessary.