Law on environmental impact assessment.

This Law regulates the manner and procedure of impact assessment for projects that may have a significant environmental impact in general, including the rules for preparation and evaluation of environmental impact assessment research and studies, and other issues of importance for environmental impact assessment as regards the territory of Montenegro.
The text is divided into VI main Chapters and 40 articles. Titles of Chapters are as follows: Basic provisions (I); Impact assessment procedures (II); Notification, data collection and data survey (III); Surveillance (IV); Penalty provisions (V); Transitional and final provisions (VI).
Environmental Impact Assessment is a process that involves: preparation of studies on environmental impact assessment; involvement of interested bodies and organizations and public participation; set of procedures for evaluation of related studies and for decision-making process necessary for the issuance of mandatory environmental permits (authorization request/approval); an official explanation of the significant environmental impacts of a particular project, also by taking into account the results of public consultations.
The overall importance of impact assessment is aimed at evaluating each individual case where a possible direct and/or damage may occur, with the objective of preservation of health and wellbeing of all environmentally relevant factors and participants. All activities that can significantly affect the environment or human health are to be considered as environmentally relevant and subject to assessment studies.
Subjects and topics of these impact studies are: population and human health; biodiversity, and in particular protected species of plants, animals and fungi and their habitats; land, water, air, climate and landscape; mining activities; tangible goods and cultural heritage; and mutual relations between these elements. Authorities responsible for carrying out impact assessment procedures are national administrative bodies competent for environmental affairs, and local authorities responsible for environmental protection (see details in article 5). Issues on possible conflict of interest are laid down in article 27. Manner for the necessary communication to the public is defined in article 28. For issues on necessary notification in case of transboundary impacts see article 29.
The impact assessment in general shall also include possibilities and risks of major accidents or disasters, that are relevant to the project for which the impact assessment is being carried out. Impact assessment is carried out for projects in the fields of industry, mining, energy, transport, tourism, agriculture, forestry, water management, utilities and projects which are planned in a protected natural property and/or on a site containing immovable cultural property or heritage.
Impact assessment is not carried out for projects intended solely for defense, elimination of consequences of natural disasters and catastrophes.