Conformity Study for Denmark Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (EIA)

Transcription

1 Conformity Study for Denmark Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (EIA)

2 This National Conformity Study has been prepared by COWI for Milieu Ltd. under Contract No /2008/517839/FRA/A2. The actual conformity checking was carried out in Denmark by Benedikte Nørfelt Stellinger. The views expressed herein are those of the consultants alone and do not necessarily represent the official views of the European Commission. Milieu Ltd. (Belgium), 15 rue Blanche, B-1050, Brussels, tel: ; Fax ; emma.psaila@milieu.be; web address:

3 ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION TRANSPOSING DIRECTIVE 85/337/EEC ON THE ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF CERTAIN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROJECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT Table of Contents Summary Datasheet...Error! Bookmark not defined. Abbreviations Used Introduction Overview of the Legal Framework in Denmark Framework for Transposition & Implementation of Directive 85/337/EEC in Denmark General distribution of competences/competent authorities Transposition context with regard to the EIA Directive Legal Analysis of the Transposing Measures for Directive 85/337/EEC... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3 Conclusions...Error! Bookmark not defined. ANNEX I: ANNEX II: Table of concordance for Directive 85/337/EEC List of relevant national legislation

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5 ABBREVIATIONS USED Art CA ECJ EIA MS Article Competent Authority European Court of Justice Environmental Impact Assessment Member State Milieu Ltd & COWI Brussels Conformity Study Directive 85/337/EEC for Denmark, May 2009/ 5

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7 1 INTRODUCTION This conformity study analyses how the provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (EIA) have been transposed into the legislation of Denmark. The objective of Directive 85/337/EEC is to assess the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (EIA). The Directive embodies the preventive approach to environmental protection by requiring that before consent is given by a governmental body, development projects likely to have significant effects on the environment, are subjected to an assessment of possible environmental impacts. Some categories of projects listed in Annex I to the Directive are always subject to the environmental impact assessment requirement. Others listed in Annex II, which may have significant effects on the environment, are subject to assessment when certain criteria determined by the Member State are met. The promoter must supply the competent authority with detailed relevant information about the project in the impact statement. Environmental authorities must be given an opportunity to comment before a decision on the project is taken. The public must be informed of the request for development and the impact statement and allowed to express its opinion. Decisions by the competent authority have to take the assessment results into account. Information must be provided to other Member States likely to be affected by a project, and these may participate in the assessment procedure. Member States may make more stringent legislation when assessing environmental effects. 1.1 OVERVIEW OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN DENMARK The Danish legal system is based on legal codification using court rulings as an interpretative source of law. The Danish Constitution gives legislative competence to the Danish Parliament, who adopts Acts in the field of the environment. Provisions in the environmental legislation grant the power to the Minister of environment or the Minister for Energy and Transport to adopt supplementary measures where the legal basis so prescribes in limited cases. 1.2 FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSPOSITION & IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTIVE 85/337/EEC IN DENMARK Directive 85/337/EEC has been transposed into Danish legislation mainly through the EIA Order (1335/2006), which has its legal basis in the Planning Act. The transposition is not in conformity with the Directive, since a lot of the provisions have been incompletely transposed either because the provision has not been transposed at all or only parts of the provision has been transposed, thereby leaving gaps in the Danish legislation. The EIA Order aims at completing the objectives of the Planning Act. Traditionally, the Danish EIA legislation constitutes partly of a greater spatial planning system in Denmark. The system is set out in the Planning Act. The Act is based on the principles of the reformed planning legislation of decentralized decision-making authority and promoting public participation in the planning process. EIA has been part of the planning procedures (at regional level) since The main vehicle for implementing the EIA legislation is thus the planning system as set forth in the Planning Act. However, there are a number of parallel supplementary EIA procedures stipulated in Milieu Ltd & COWI Brussels Conformity Study Directive 85/337/EC for Denmark, May 2009/ 7

8 separate legislation. The main reason for having several EIA systems is that the principle method of implementation of the EIA Directive in Denmark is and was through existing legislation. The only and so far successful attempt to bring about an integrated assessment and permitting system in one piece of legislation is the recently adopted Act on Environmental Approval on Livestock Farming 1. The pieces of legislation containing EIA requirements, besides the Planning Act, are: Act on Environmental Approval on Livestock Farming. Act on Harbours 2 Statutory Order on Extraction on Raw Materials in the Sea Territory 3 Subsoil Act 4 Regulation on EIA for Wind Power Stations in the Sea Territory 5 EIA of Major Projects in the Sea Territory 6. Some overlaps in the parallel systems are present - mostly regarding the Major Projects at Sea and Harbours Act. This is, however, not affecting the conformity of the transposition as it leaves no gap in the Danish legislation General distribution of competences/competent authorities The Planning Act delegates responsibility for spatial planning to the Minister for the Environment, five regional councils and 98 municipal councils. The Danish Coastal Agency and the Danish Energy Authority administers that part of the EIA legislation that concerns projects in the sea territory or at sea. The reform of local government structures Denmark in 2007 placed responsibility for comprehensive spatial planning for both town and country to the municipalities. The municipalities thus have a role as the key level for development and land use planning. With the reform, national planning was also strengthened. The state is responsible for ensuring national planning interests in an otherwise decentralized planning system as well as responsible for complex cases related to the environment, nature and spatial planning. The new regional councils - replacing the counties - have been charged with preparing regional development plans, a new type of plan, which primarily is concentrated on forecasting supporting the development and innovation in each region. the regional councils are not relevant in respect of the EIA procedure. 1 Act no of 20 December 2006 on Environmental Approval on Livestock Farming (Lov om miljøgodkendelse m.v. af husdyrbrug, Lov nr 1572 af 20 / ). 2 Act no. 326 of 28 May 1999 on Harbours (Lov om havne, Lov nr. 326 af 28/05/1999) and Statutory Order no. 809, of 22 August 2005 on Environmental Assessment (EIA) of Certain Installations and Measures on the Sea Territory (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering af visse anlæg og foranstaltninger på søterritoriet (VVM) nr. 809 af 22/8 2005). 3 Act no of 20 October 2008 on Raw Materials (Bekendtgørelse af lov om råstoffer, LBK nr 1025 af 20/ Statutory Order no. 126 of 4 March 1999 on Environmental Assessment (EIA) of Extraction of Raw Materials on the Sea Bed (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering af råstof indvinding på havbunden (VVM), BEK nr. 126 of 4/3 1999). The Act ensures that no raw materials can be extracted from the seabed until after an environmental impact assessment has been made and that particularly sensitive areas are completely exempt from extraction. 4. Act no. 889 of 4 July 2007 on the Deployment of the Subsoil of Denmark (Bekendtgørelse af lov om anvendelse af Danmarks underground, LBK nr. 889 af 4/7 2007). Statutory Order no. 884 of 21 September 2000 on Environmental Impact Assessment (VVM) of Projects for Extraction of Hydrocarbon and Establishment of Pipelines on Danish Sea Territory and Continental Shelf Area (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering (VVM) af projekter til indvinding af kulbrinter og til etablering af rørledninger på dansk søterritorium og kontinentalsokkelområde, BEK nr. 884 af 21/9 2000) 5 Act no of 27 December 2008 on Promotion of Renewable Energy (Lov om fremme af vedvarende energi, LOV nr af 27/ ); Statutory Order no. 815 of 28 August 2000 on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Electric Power Production Installations at Sea (Bekendtgørelse om vurdering af virkninger på miljøet (VVM) af elproduktionsanlæg på havet, Bek. nr. 815 af 28. august 2000). 6 Statutory Order no. 809, of 22 August 2005 on Environmental Assessment (EIA) of Certain Installations and Measures on the Sea Territory (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering af visse anlæg og foranstaltninger på søterritoriet (VVM) nr. 809 af 22/8 2005). Milieu Ltd, COWI & Conformity Study Directive 2001/18/EC for [Country], August 2007 / 8 Huglo Lepage

9 The Danish planning system is described below: The Minister for Environment establishes a comprehensive framework for regional spatial development planning and municipal planning through national planning reports, overviews of national interests in municipal planning, national planning directives, dialogue and other means. The Minister ensures through such means as a veto that municipal planning complies with overall national interests. The regional councils prepare regional spatial development plans that describe a vision for the region. This is a new type of strategic plan that captures the overall spatial development of the region and is closely linked with the business development strategy prepared by the regional economic growth forums. The municipal councils summarize their objectives and strategy for development in a municipal plan, which comprises a framework for the detailed local plans and for processing individual cases pursuant to the Planning Act and numerous acts governing other sectors. Furthermore the Planning Act curtails the time wise wide access to the Danish courts in terms of a requirement that the case must be brought before the court before 6 months has passed after the decision has been announced. This ensures the right of access to a judicial review procedure even though under a time constraint. As stipulated in the EIA Order, the Municipal Council decides if an EIA must be made for a project and this decision must be publicised. If the project is deemed to have a substantial impact on the environment in another state, the Environmental Centre of the Danish Ministry of Environment undertakes the competences of the Municipal Council. The administrative body, which is the competent organ to review decisions made with legal basis in the Planning Act is the Nature Appeal Board. The Planning Act stipulates that any person is entitled to file a complaint with the Nature Appeal Board, if that person has a legal interest in the case. The notion 'any person ' also includes non-governmental organisations, as the notion includes both natural and legal persons. It is not everyone, who can challenge a decision made by an authority with legal basis in the Nature Protection Act. It is very thoroughly defined in Article 86 of the Act, who of the non-governmental organisation are entitled to complain. The Nature Protection Act contains provisions, which must be complied with when planning new installations. Therefore the rules of the Nature Protection Act are also relevant here. For the purpose of explaining the Danish system to the fullest, it is necessary to define the municipal plan guidelines. The guidelines in the municipal plan are guidelines on how the municipal area should be developed, used and established. The guidelines are not binding as such for a land owner - however, the municipal authorities do have a certain margin of discretion to act on basis of the municipal plan and guidelines. This encompasses the right to deny partitioning of land, establishment of building and change in use of land, which does not comply with the municipality plan and the guidelines Transposition context with regard to the EIA Directive Not all of the transposing legislation entered into force at the date of implementation. The implementation dates are as set out below: The EIA Order did not enter into force until 1 January 2007, making the transposition of these two Orders late. The Planning Act, which is the legal basis for the EIA Order, originally entered into force the 1 January 1992, but amendments made to relevant articles transposing part of this directive did not Milieu Ltd, COWI & Huglo Lepage Conformity Study Directive 2001/18/EC for [Country], August 2007 / 9

10 enter into force until 19 February However, this is still in conformity with the transposing date set out in the Directive. The relevant provision of the Nature Protection Act entered into force the 15 September 2000, making the transposition of this Act in conformity with the Directive. List of transposing legislation: Statutory Order no 1335 of 6 December 2006 on Assessment of the Environmental Impact of certain Public and Private Constructions (EIA) Pursuant to the Planning Act (Bekendtgørelse omvurdering af visse offentlige og private anlægs virkning på miljøet (VVM) i medføre af lov om planlægning, BEK nr 1335 af 6 december 2006) EIA Order Act no 1027 of 20 October 2008 on Planning (Bekendtgørelse af lov om planlægning, LBK nr 1027 af 20. oktober 2008) Planning Act Statutory Order no 1640 of 13 December 2006 on Approval of Listed Activities (Bekendtgørelse af godkendelse af listevirksomhed, BEK nr 1640 af 13/12/2006) Approval Order Act no 1757 of 22 December 2006 on Environmental Protection (Bekendtgørelse af lov om miljøbeskyttelse, LBK nr 1757 af 22 December 2006) Environmental Protection Act Act no 1365 of 7 December 2007 on Public Administration Act (Bekendtgørelse af forvaltningsloven, LBK nr 1365 af 7 december 2007) Public Administration Act Act no of 20 December 2006 on Environmental Approval on Livestock Farming (Lov om miljøgodkendelse m.v. af husdyrbrug, Lov nr 1572 af 20 / ) Farming Act Act no. 326 of 28 May 1999 on Harbours (Lov om havne, Lov nr. 326 af 28/05/1999) Harbour Act Statutory Order no. 997 of 14 December 1999 on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Expansions of Existing Harbours (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering (VVM) i forbindelse med udvidelse af bestående havne, BEK nr 997 af 14/ ) Harbour Order Statutory Order no. 809 of 22 August 2005 on Environmental Assessment (EIA) of Certain Installations and Measures on the Sea Territory (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering af visse anlæg og foranstaltninger på søterritoriet (VVM) nr. 809 af 22/8 2005) Sea EIA Order Act no of 20 October 2008 on Raw Materials (Bekendtgørelse af lov om råstoffer, LBK nr 1025 af 20/ ) Raw Materials Act Statutory Order no. 126 of 4 March 1999 on Environmental Assessment (EIA) of Extraction of Raw Materials on the Sea Bed (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering af råstof indvinding på havbunden (VVM), BEK nr. 126 of 4/3 1999) Extractions Act Statutory Order no. 884 of 21 September 2000 on Environmental Impact Assessment (VVM) of Projects for Extraction of Hydrocarbon and Establishment of Pipelines on Danish Sea Territory and Continental Shelf Area (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering (VVM) af projekter til indvinding af kulbrinter og til etablering af rørledninger på dansk søterritorium og kontinentalsokkelområde, BEK nr. 884 af 21/9 2000) Subsoil Order Act no. 889 of 4 July 2007 on the Deployment of the Subsoil of Denmark (Bekendtgørelse af lov om anvendelse af Danmarks underground, LBK nr. 889 af 4/7 2007) Subsoil Act Milieu Ltd, COWI & Huglo Lepage Conformity Study Directive 2001/18/EC for [Country], August 2007 / 10

11 Act no of 27 December 2008 on Promotion of Renewable Energy (Lov om fremme af vedvarende energi, LOV nr af 27/ ) Renewable Energy Act Statutory Order no. 815 of 28 August 2000 on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Electric Power Production Installations at Sea (Bekendtgørelse om vurdering af virkninger på miljøet (VVM) af elproduktionsanlæg på havet, Bek. nr. 815 af 28. august 2000) Electric Power Order Act no169 of 5 June 1953 on the Constitution of the Danish Kingdom (Danmarks Riges Grundlov (Grundloven), Lov nr 169 af 5 juni 1953) Constitution Project on land Spatial planning system Environmental Impact Assessment of projects on land is carried out in accordance with the provisions stipulated in the Planning Act and the EIA Order. Some projects are also carried out according to the provisions in the Farming Act and the Subsoil Act. The Danish Ministry of the Environment is the public authority with responsibility for implementing the EIA legislation concerning projects on land in Denmark. The Ministry is in charge for the EIA systems related to the Planning Act and for the EIA system related to intensive animal farming. One special feature of the Danish EIA-system is that the EIA-report - drawn up by the applicant - is submitted for public scrutiny as a document for which the municipal authority is responsible. The responsible authority for implementing the EIA system in the Planning Act is the municipality. The municipalities adopt decisions on the basis of EIA-report by way of an amendment to the municipal plan. However, in special cases, the regional environmental centres of the Ministry of Environment located in Aarhus, Odense and Roskilde carry out EIAs for certain projects, such as projects for which the State is the developer; enterprises likely to produce considerable pollution for which the regional environmental centres also approve permits in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act; enterprises likely to produce considerable pollution for which the regional environmental centres also approve permits in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act; infrastructure installations requiring a municipal plan supplement in more than two municipalities; and wind power stations taller than 150 metres installations, which can have significant effect on the environment in another country. Livestock farming Large livestock farming projects are subject to EIA. Legislation and procedures have been integrated in the Farming Act, which integrates EIA legislation, environmental approval and rural zone permissions for new establishments, extensions or changes of livestock farms. It is only large livestock farms, which are subject to EIA. An EIA is required when the livestock farm exceeds 250 animal units - which for example correspond to 9,000 pigs or 250 milk cows. If the livestock farm consists of broilers, the limit is 210 animal units. A lower threshold for the application of the EIA-requirement is adopted in the Farming Act, making the establishment, changes and/or expansion of farms with no more than 3 animal units fall outside the scope of the legislation. This is particularly interesting in the sense that the EIA Directive does not Milieu Ltd, COWI & Huglo Lepage Conformity Study Directive 2001/18/EC for [Country], August 2007 / 11

12 contain a lower threshold by which it may be possible to avoid the application of the provisions of the EIA Directive completely. The system related to livestock farming in the Farming Act divides projects for livestock farming into four different groups: projects for more than 250 animal units - always EIA (subject to annex I of the Directive) projects for more than 100 animal units - subject to screening in accordance with the criteria listed in Annex III projects up to 100 animal units when located within specified nature types defined in the Farming Act - subject to screening in accordance with the criteria listed in Annex III projects for 3 or less animal units are not subject to EIA The Act contains a general ban on establishing projects for livestock farming within the urban zone, summerhouse areas as well as within specified areas in the rural zone (Nature Protection zones, NATURA 2000 areas, etc.). There is also a general ban against locating animal farms within certain distances of a number of specific areas/properties/nature features. Project at sea A number of provisions have been issued for certain types of EIA mandatory installations, which are located in the sea territory. These installations are not subject to the provisions of the Planning Act, and the State always has the authority in these cases. The Ministry of Environment is the responsible authority for projects aiming at recovering raw material from the seabed. The Danish Coastal Agency under the Ministry of Transport is the authority responsible for the EIA legislation concerning measures and installations at the sea territory and changes of harbour and piers, deepening and land filling within the coastline and within the sea territory. The Danish Coastal Agency is also the responsible authority for the establishment of permanent installations at the sea territory, which is not covered by other legislation. The Danish Energy Agency administers that part of the EIA legislation that concerns electric power installations in the sea territory as well as recovery of hydrocarbon (natural gas and oil) or the installation of pipelines in the sea territory and the continental shelf area. Milieu Ltd, COWI & Huglo Lepage Conformity Study Directive 2001/18/EC for [Country], August 2007 / 12

13 ANNEX II Legislation transposing Directive 85/337/EEC in Denmark 1. Statutory Order no 1335 of 6 December 2006 on Assessment of the Environmental Impact of certain Public and Private Constructions (EIA) Pursuant to the Planning Act (Bekendtgørelse omvurdering af visse offentlige og private anlægs virkning på miljøet (VVM) i medføre af lov om planlægning, BEK nr 1335 af 6 december 2006) EIA Order 2. Act no 1027 of 20 October 2008 on Planning (Bekendtgørelse af lov om planlægning, LBK nr 1027 af 20. oktober 2008) Planning Act 3. Statutory Order no 1640 of 13 December 2006 on Approval of Listed Activities (Bekendtgørelse af godkendelse af listevirksomhed, BEK nr 1640 af 13/12/2006) Approval Order 4. Act no 1757 of 22 December 2006 on Environmental Protection (Bekendtgørelse af lov om miljøbeskyttelse, LBK nr 1757 af 22 December 2006) Environmental Protection Act 5. Act no 1365 of 7 December 2007 on Public Administration Act (Bekendtgørelse af forvaltningsloven, LBK nr 1365 af 7 december 2007) Public Administration Act 6. Act no of 20 December 2006 on Environmental Approval on Livestock Farming (Lov om miljøgodkendelse m.v. af husdyrbrug, Lov nr 1572 af 20 / ) Farming Act 7. Act no. 326 of 28 May 1999 on Harbours (Lov om havne, Lov nr. 326 af 28/05/1999) Harbour Act 8. Statutory Order no. 997 of 14 December 1999 on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Expansions of Existing Harbours (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering (VVM) i forbindelse med udvidelse af bestående havne, BEK nr 997 af 14/ ) Harbour Order 9. Statutory Order no. 809 of 22 August 2005 on Environmental Assessment (EIA) of Certain Installations and Measures on the Sea Territory (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering af visse anlæg og foranstaltninger på søterritoriet (VVM) nr. 809 af 22/8 2005) Sea EIA Order 10. Act no of 20 October 2008 on Raw Materials (Bekendtgørelse af lov om råstoffer, LBK nr 1025 af 20/ ) Raw Materials Act 11. Statutory Order no. 126 of 4 March 1999 on Environmental Assessment (EIA) of Extraction of Raw Materials on the Sea Bed (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering af råstof indvinding på havbunden (VVM), BEK nr. 126 of 4/3 1999) Extractions Act 12. Statutory Order no. 884 of 21 September 2000 on Environmental Impact Assessment (VVM) of Projects for Extraction of Hydrocarbon and Establishment of Pipelines on Danish Sea Territory and Continental Shelf Area (Bekendtgørelse om miljømæssig vurdering (VVM) af projekter til indvinding af kulbrinter og til etablering af rørledninger på dansk søterritorium og kontinentalsokkelområde, BEK nr. 884 af 21/9 2000) Subsoil Order 13. Act no. 889 of 4 July 2007 on the Deployment of the Subsoil of Denmark (Bekendtgørelse af lov om anvendelse af Danmarks underground, LBK nr. 889 af 4/7 2007) Subsoil Act Milieu Ltd, COWI & Huglo Lepage Conformity Study Directive 2001/18/EC for [Country], August 2007 / 13

14 14. Act no of 27 December 2008 on Promotion of Renewable Energy (Lov om fremme af vedvarende energi, LOV nr af 27/ ) Renewable Energy Act 15. Statutory Order no. 815 of 28 August 2000 on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Electric Power Production Installations at Sea (Bekendtgørelse om vurdering af virkninger på miljøet (VVM) af elproduktionsanlæg på havet, Bek. nr. 815 af 28. august 2000) Electric Power Order 16. Act no169 of 5 June 1953 on the Constitution of the Danish Kingdom (Danmarks Riges Grundlov (Grundloven), Lov nr 169 af 5 juni 1953) Constitution Milieu Ltd, COWI & Huglo Lepage Conformity Study Directive 2001/18/EC for [Country], August 2007 / 14