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Environmental Impacts

The purpose of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) is to ensure that the possible impacts that a proposed project may have on the environment will be assessed with due accuracy, if the project has substantial impacts on the environment. The aim of the EIA-assessment is also to improve the citizens’ possibilities to participate and influence the planning of projects. The Act on Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure defines the projects that always require environmental impact assessment. In addition to the projects listed in the act, the project can be subject to EIA procedure under discretion if it is considered to have significant environmental impacts. The impacts on the environment which need to be assessed are i.e. large scale animal farming, mining, forestry, different energy production plants (over 300 MW) and activities which have impacts on traffic. The authoritative party is either the local Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY-keskus) or the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

The EIA procedure contains following phases:

  • producing of the scoping document and environmental Impact assessment report

  • informing parties of the assessment procedure and conducting hearings

  • coordinating authority’s examining of the information presented in the scoping document and assessment report as well as opinions and statements expressed in hearings

  • coordinating authority’s statement on the assessment program

  • coordinating authority’s well-founded conclusion of the significant environmental impacts

The assessment report and conclusion are then attached to the environmental permit application of the project. The permit includes the coordinating authority’s conclusion and results based on hearings on the assessment report are taken in to account in the permit procedure.

The party responsible for the project is also responsible for the costs arising out of the environmental assessment (assessment of environmental impacts, information, hearing). The party responsible for the project is also liable for the costs arising out of the authority’s assessment program and the environmental impact assessment report.