Decision No.0358 on the List of Investment Projects and Activities Categorized for Conducting Environmental Impact Assessment.

This Ministerial Decision establishes a standardized list for categorizing investment projects and activities based on their potential environmental and social impacts in the Lao PDR. It serves as a primary screening tool to determine the specific type of environmental assessment required before a project can proceed.
Investment projects are divided into two main groups. Group 1 (Small Scale/Low Impact) : Projects in this category are required to prepare an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE). This includes activities such as hydropower projects between 1 to 5 MW, biomass energy under 5 MW, and wind or solar power projects under 50 MW. Group 2 (Large Scale/High Impact): Large-sized or complex projects that create substantial impacts must undergo a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This category typically covers large-scale mining, industrial crop plantations exceeding 400 hectares, and high-voltage transmission lines over 230 kV. If an investment project is not explicitly listed in either group, the project owner is mandated to coordinate with the Department of Environment under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) for a formal screening based on project-specific data.