The Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipe-lines (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999

[F1 Environmental statement U.K.

3B.— (1) In these Regulations, an “environmental statement” means a report prepared as part of the environmental impact assessment in respect of a relevant project which includes—

(a) a description of the project comprising information on the site, design, size and other relevant features of the project;

(b) a description of the likely significant effects of the project on the environment;

(c) a description of the features of the project or measures envisaged in order to avoid, prevent or reduce, and if possible, offset likely significant adverse effects on the environment;

(d) a description of the reasonable alternatives studied by the undertaker which are relevant to the project and its specific characteristics and an indication of the main reasons for the option chosen, taking into account the effects of the project on the environment;

(e) a non-technical summary of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) to (d); and

(f) any additional information set out in Schedule 2 (information for the environmental statement) relevant to the specific characteristics of the relevant project or type of project and to the environmental features likely to be affected.

(2) In preparing the environmental statement, the undertaker shall also take into account any available results of other relevant assessments under [F2 the law of any part of the United Kingdom].

(3) Where the Secretary of State has given an opinion under regulation 7 on the matters to be included in the environmental statement, the statement shall be based on that opinion and include the information that may be reasonably required for reaching a reasoned conclusion on the significant effects of the project on the environment, taking into account current knowledge and methods of assessment.

(4) In order to ensure the completeness of the environmental statement, the undertaker shall ensure that—

(a) the statement is prepared by competent experts; and

(b) the statement is accompanied by a statement from the undertaker outlining the relevant expertise or qualifications of such experts.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Regs. 3A, 3B inserted (16.5.2017) by The Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipe-lines (Environmental Impact Assessment and other Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/582), regs. 1, 5 (with reg. 23)

F2 Words in reg. 3B(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Pipe-lines, Petroleum, Electricity Works and Oil Stocking (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1325), regs. 1(1), 3(4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)