Formal requirements for authors of project information cards

Abstract

The formal requirements for authors of environmental impact assessment reports have changed over time. At present, such authors are required to demonstrate specific education or professional experience. A project information card is a similar document to an impact assessment report, drafted during an environmental impact assessment. Unlike in the case of impact assessment reports, at present, authors of project information cards are not obliged to meet any formal requirements. Despite the different formal requirements applicable, both these documents can constitute grounds for issuing decisions on environmental conditions. This may allow circumvention of the main idea behind introducing formal requirements for authors of environmental impact assessment reports, i.e. the improvement in the quality of environmental studies. Therefore, if legal regulations require authors of environmental impact assessment reports to meet certain formal requirements, why should the same requirements not be demanded from authors of information cards which form the grounds for issuing decisions on environmental conditions?

Keywords

• environmental impact assessment
• project information card
• environmental impact assessment report