State Act on Environmental Impact Assessment Rhineland-Palatinate

Rhineland-Palatine’s State Act on Environmental Impact Assessment transposes Directive 2011/92/ EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (OJ EU No L 26, p.1) and Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programs on the environment (OJ EC No. L 197 p. 30) and Directive 2003/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the participation of the public in the preparation of certain environmental plans and programs and amending Council Directives 85/337/EEC and 96/61/EC as regards public participation and access to justice (OJ EU No 17), as amended by Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 (OJ EU No L 26, p. 1). The act prescribes protected goods/persons in the sense of article 1, covering humans, plants, animals and biodiversity, land and soil, water, air, climate and landscape, as well as cultural heritage, including the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and other assets as well. The act distinguishes between new projects and changes to existing projects. Exceptions are included for the purposes of defense or disaster management, financial and budget plans and programs. The act provides for amendments in the Rhineland-Palatanian forestry law (§ 8), the state road law (§ 9), cableway law (§ 10), railway act (§ 11), local traffic law (§ 12), and state waste water tax law (§ 13). Annex 1 includes a list of projects subject to EIA under state law (UVP), while Annex 2 includes a list of plans and programs required under state SUP law (SUP).