Environmental impact assessment of projects involves evaluating and informing about the likely environmental effects of specific projects. The projects' impact is analysed, its significance assessed and recommendations made on how to respond to them.
Environmental impact assessment
The purpose of an environmental impact assessment is to:
Ensure that the environmental impact of a particular project has been assessed before decisions are made on permits.
Ensure that the public has the opportunity to participate in and influence the environmental assessment.
Identify how adverse effects of projects can be addressed through mitigation measures and project design.
When environmental assessment is required
The Environmental Assessment Act states which projects are always subject to an environmental assessment and which projects are subject to notification.
It must be assessed in each case whether projects subject to notification should undergo an environmental assessment.
Development permit
The results of an environmental assessment are used to decide whether to grant a development permit. If a permit is granted, the results of the environmental assessment are used in the implementation of the project to limit its negative impact on the environment.
Roles
Developers are responsible for the environmental assessment of projects. They request a decision on whether projects subject to notification should be subject to an environmental assessment and prepare and submit an environmental impact assessment report.
Municipalities grant building and development permits after an environmental assessment has been completed.
Public institutions provide opinions on specific aspects of environmental assessments, for example, the Environment Agency provides opinions on pollution issues and the Icelandic National Heritage Agency on cultural heritage.
Public institutions can also be licensees. For example, the Environment Agency grants operating licenses for the operation of factories, the Food and Veterinary Authority grants operating licenses for agriculture, and the National Energy Authority grants licenses for the extraction of seabed material outside municipal boundaries.
The public can provide suggestions and comments on the proposed project and its environmental assessment when the assessment plan and environmental assessment report are presented on the Planning Portal.
HMS environmental department is responsible for the implementation of the law and regulations on environmental assessment of projects and plans.
The organisation:
makes decisions on whether projects subject to notification shall be subject to environmental assessment.
presents the assessment plans and environmental assessment reports of the developer.
issues opinions on assessment plans and on the environmental assessment of the project based on the developer's environmental assessment report and the comments made on it.
preserves and disseminates information on decisions on the assessment obligation and on projects that have undergone environmental impact assessment.
operates a database on environmental assessment of projects and maintains the Planning Portal, a consultation portal on environmental impact assessment and development permits and planning matters.
