Law No. I-1495 On environmental impact assessment of planned economic activities.

This Law regulates the assessment of the impact of planned economic activities on the environment process and the relationship between the participants in that process. The purpose of this Law is to harmonize the environmental impact assessment of the planned economic activity regulation of the process with the legal acts of the European Union specified in Annex 3 to this Law. Selection of the proposed planned economic activities in relation to environmental impact assessment is intended the process which involves: (a) organizer (customer) a natural person, legal entity or subdivision thereof for which and environmental impact assessment is required; and (b) examination of information by responsible authority to determine whether it is obligatory to carry out environmental impact assessment of the planned economic activity. Planned economic activity shall be intended planned activity, which includes the construction of existing buildings, reconstruction of buildings, manufacturing of products, installation of production process and technological equipment, modernization or change of production method, quantity (scale) or type of production, deep-sea mining and the use of other natural resources, as well as land management, economic activities envisaged in water management projects and other economic activities that may have an impact on the environment. Environmental impact assessment shall be intended the potential impact of the planned economic activity, including identification, characterization and assessment of the environment. The object of the environmental impact assessment shall be the proposed economic activity which, by its nature, scale or the location of the proposed site may have significant effects on the environment. Where transboundary environmental effects of the proposed economic activity require application of assessment procedures, an institution authorized by the Government in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister of the Environment, which informs the responsible authority and preparer of the environment assessment documents, on request to prepare and submit to the institution authorized by the Government summary of information or programs related to the planned economic activity, if notification of the commencement of the EIA and submittal of the program to another State is not provided by international agreements between the Republic of Lithuania and another state. Environmental impact assessment shall be carried out where: (a) the planned economic activity is entered in the Planned Economic Activity, the impact of which on the environment must be assessed, listed in the Annex 1; (b) during the selection it is established that the planned economic activity must be subject to environmental impact assessment; and (c) the implementation of the proposed economic activity may have an impact on the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 sites and the authority responsible for the protection and management of protected areas, the Ministry of the Environment, shall determine that this effect may be significant. Objectives of the environmental impact assessment: (a) to identify, describe and assess the potential direct and indirect effects of the proposed economic activity effects on public health, fauna and flora, soil, soil surface and subsoil, air, water, climate, landscape and biodiversity, socio - economic environment and material values, immovable cultural values and these environmental components interactions; (b) to reduce the negative impact of the planned economic activity on public health and other environmental components listed in point 1 of this Article or to avoid such effects; and (c) to determine whether the planned economic activity, taking into account its nature and impact on the environment, is permissible at the chosen location. Environmental impact assessment documents shall be intended environmental impact assessment program and environmental impact assessment report. Subject of environmental impact assessment shall be intended state institution or municipalities the mayor or the municipal administration director authorized by him, examining and evaluating environmental impact assessment documents, providing conclusions according to competence and participating in the process of environmental impact assessment of the selection of planned economic activities.