The Forestry (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017

Additional information and evidence relating to EIA reports

21.—(1) This regulation applies where the Commissioners (or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers) are dealing with—

(a) an EIA application; or

(b) an appeal under regulation 30 against a decision of the Commissioners.

(2) In order to ensure the completeness and quality of the EIA report, the Commissioners or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers must (having regard in particular to current knowledge and methods of assessment) seek from the applicant supplementary information about any matter to be included in the EIA report in accordance with regulation 6(3) which in the opinion of the Commissioners or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers, is directly relevant to reaching a reasoned conclusion on the significant effects of the forestry project on the environment (and such information is referred to in these Regulations as “supplementary information”).

(3) The applicant must provide the supplementary information within such reasonable period as the Commissioners or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers may specify and if the applicant does not provide the supplementary information within such period the Commissioners may treat the EIA application as withdrawn or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers may treat the appeal as withdrawn.

(4) The Commissioners or, as the case may be, the Scottish Ministers may, in writing, require evidence to be produced to them to verify information contained in an EIA report or in any additional information which has been provided to them.