ABSTRACT

One of the key aims of the EIA process is to provide information about a proposal’s likely environmental impacts to the developer, public, statutory consultees and decision-makers, so that a better decision may be made. Consultation with the public and statutory consultees in the EIA process can help to improve the quality, comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the EIA, as well as ensuring that the various groups’ views are adequately taken into consideration in the decision-making process. Consultation and participation can be useful at most stages of the EIA process:

• in determining the scope of an EIA; • in providing specialist knowledge about the

site; • in suggesting alternatives; • in evaluating the relative significance of the

likely impacts; • in proposing mitigation measures; • in ensuring that the EIS is objective, truthful

and complete; and • in monitoring any conditions of the develop -

ment agreement.