17.—(1) Where the Scottish Ministers have received an application for consent for an EIA project they must—
(a)send a copy of the application, including the EIA Report, to the consultation bodies and consult them about the EIA report and inform them how and by what date they may make representations (being a date within the period of 30 days beginning with the date on which the application was sent); and
(b)in order to ensure the effective participation of the public concerned in the decision-making process, publish as soon as possible a notice in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).
(2) Notice under paragraph (1)(b) must—
(a)describe the application and the project to which the EIA report relates;
(b)state that the project is subject to environmental impact assessment and, where relevant, state that it is likely to have significant effects on the environment in another EEA State;
(c)state that the EIA report is available for inspection free of charge and the times and places at which, and the means by which, the EIA report is available for inspection;
(d)state how copies of the EIA report may be obtained;
(e)state the cost of a copy of the EIA report;
(f)state how and by what date representations may be made (being a date within the period of 30 days beginning with the last date on which the notice is published);
(g)provide details of the arrangements for public participation in the decision making procedure including a description of how notice is to be given of any subsequent submission by the applicant of additional information and how representations in relation to that additional information may be made; and
(h)state the nature of possible decisions to be taken in relation to the application and provide details of the authority by whom such decisions are to be taken.
(3) Notice under paragraph (1) must be published—
(a)on the application website;
(b)in The Edinburgh Gazette; and
(c)in a newspaper circulating in the locality in which the project is situated.
(4) The applicant must, at the time of submitting the report, pay the cost to be incurred by the Scottish Ministers in arranging publication of the notice in accordance with paragraph (3)(b) and (c).
(5) The Scottish Ministers must make copies of the report and other documents submitted with the application available for inspection on the application website.