River Basin Management Plans & Strategic Environmental Assessment & Appropriate Assessment Ray Spain Local Authorities Workshop, 3 rd December 2008

What is SEA? Purpose to ensure that the environmental consequences are assessed during preparation and prior to adoption of RBMP to ensure the RBMP & POMs are as robust as possible in the context of the wider environment

What is the Process? Screening – Is an SEA needed? Scoping – What should it include? Environmental Assessment and Report – Alternatives SEA Statement

SEA Screening The statutory bodies responsible for SEA in Ireland and Northern Ireland are DEHLG EPA DCENR Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly EHS) The statutory bodies concluded that SEA is required for RBMPs and POMs (2007) at a RBD level – 8 SEAs for the island of Ireland

SEA SCOPING What should it include? Scoping ran in parallel, and fed into, the Water Matters (SWMI) Report Scoping is complete! for each of the 8 RBD’s. Scoping Document is available for download at

SEA Environmental Assessment Report ALL legislative requirements of Schedule 2 of the SEA Regulations (1 - 10) –Information on the current state of the environment and likely evolution in the absence of the Plan (business as usual) –Environmental protection objectives relevant to the plan –Reasons for selecting the alternatives (supplementary measures) –Likely significant effects on the environment –Mitigation and monitoring measures

SEA PROCESS Screening Overall Methodology RBMP PROCESS Initial Characterisation ScopingSignificant Issues Alternatives Status / Risk / Possible Measures Set Objectives Action Programme Objectives / Indicators / Targets Environmental ReportDraft RBMP Final RBMPSEA Statement Consultation Implementation & review cycle - 2nd RBMP

Habitats Directive Assessment ( Appropriate Assessment ) –Habitats Directive, Article 6 (92/43/EEC) –SACs, SPAs (Natura 2000 sites), and Ramsar Sites –Narrow focus - maintaining integrity and conservation objectives of the site –Protection led –Precautionary Four main steps Screening Appropriate assessment (avoidance first, then mitigation) Assessment of alternative solutions Assessment where no alternatives exist (compensatory measures)

Appropriate Assessment SEA PROCESS Screening Scoping Alternatives SEA Statement Potential Impacts to SAC / SPA HABITATS DIRECTIVE ASSESSMENT Assessment of Alternatives Assessment Where No Alternatives Exist Screening Appropriate Assessment

Role of SEA & HDA SEA in decision making –Provides for high level of protection of the environment –Informs decision making –Assist in making more environmentally sustainable decisions HDA in decision making – more focused –Maintains the integrity of site and its features –Influences decision making –Prevents development that could harm sites

Integration with RBMP RBMP must show how this was done SEA –RBMP must have regard to SEA HDA –mitigation measures must be included in RBMP

Timetable Phase I: Environmental Assessment & Report (Jul – Dec 2008) Phase II: Public Consultation (Jan – Jun 2009) Phase III: Preparation of Submission Reports (Jul –Aug 2009) Phase IV: Preparation of SEA Statements (Jul - Sep 2009) Fixed Milestones: Draft RBMP 22 December 2008 Final RBMP 16 October 2009