Cabinet Regulation No. 83 of 2011 on Procedures for the Environmental Impact Assessment of an Intended Activity

Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) Cabinet Regulation No. 83 Adopted 25 January 2011 Procedures for the Environmental Impact Assessment of an Intended Activity Issued pursuant to Sections 9 and 12, Section 15, Paragraph three, Section 16, Paragraph two, Section 17, Paragraph five and Section 20, Paragraph five of the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment I. General Provision 1. This Regulation prescribes: 1.1. the content of an intended activity submission; 1.2. the procedures for the performance of an initial environmental impact assessment of an intended activity (hereinafter – initial assessment); 1.3. the procedures for the organisation of an initial public discussion of the environmental impact assessment of an intended activity, also of construction (hereinafter – initial public discussion); 1.4. the minimum requirements for the content of a programme for the environmental impact assessment of an intended activity (hereinafter – programme) and the procedures for the development thereof; 1.5. the content and procedures for the preparation of a report on the environmental impact assessment of an intended activity (hereinafter – report), as well as the procedures by which the public shall be informed of the report, and the procedures for the publishing of a notification; and 1.6. the procedures by which the Environment State Bureau (hereinafter – Bureau) shall send a report to the initiator for revision and issue an opinion on the notification. II. Intended Activity Submission and Initial Assessment 2. The initiator of an intended activity (hereinafter – initiator) shall apply the intended activity in accordance with the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment by submitting an intended activity submission to the Bureau, the State Environmental Service or the relevant regional environmental board of the State Environmental service (hereinafter – board). The following shall be indicated in the intended activity submission: 2.1. the time and location of writing of the submission; 2.2. the initiator’s given name, surname, personal identity number (for a legal person – name and registration number, for a public person or its authority – name), address, telephone number and electronic mail address; 2.3. information regarding the intended activity, the potential sites of the intended activity (indicate addresses, and, if possible, the cadastre numbers of the land units) and types of technologies to be used, as well as regarding the necessary infrastructure objects; 2.4. technological information in accordance with the solution selected for the intended activity: 2.4.1. the primary raw materials and the amount thereof per year or construction materials (in the case of road, railway line and airport construction) and the Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 2 amount thereof in the construction of the object. Any dangerous chemical substances and mixtures, as well as other raw materials, the consumption of which exceeds 100 kg per year, shall be indicated; 2.4.2. products and the amount thereof (per year); 2.4.3. the estimated water consumption (cubic metres per day, month or year); 2.4.4. solution for the water supply, provision of the water abstraction source to be used with water resources (surface water or underground water); 2.4.5. solution for the wastewater management, the estimated amount of wastewater (cubic metres per day, month, year), pollutants in the wastewater, the concentration thereof before and after purification, the location of the wastewater discharge point; 2.4.6. solution for the heat supply, for combustion installation – the intended heating fuel, the amount and capacity thereof; 2.4.7. the emission of pollutants into the air, water and soil (pollutants and the concentration thereof), odours; 2.4.8. waste from technological processes (also hazardous waste), side products and the intended waste management; and 2.4.9. the physical effects (for example, electromagnetic radiation, vibration, noise); 2.5. information regarding whether the site of the intended activity is located in a specially protected nature territory or micro-reserve; 2.6. information regarding the distance (in kilometres) from the site of the intended activity to the border of a protected nature territory of European significance (NATURA 2000); 2.7. an environmental impact assessment of the intended activity and the measures intended for reduction or prevention of adverse effects. 3. If any of the types of information referred to in Sub-paragraph 2.4 of this Regulation is not related to the intended activity, it shall be indicated in the intended activity submission. 4. The initiator shall append a territory map on a 1:10000 scale or another corresponding scale to the intended activity submission, on which the site of the intended activity is graphically depicted (if possible, also electronically). If it is planned to perform the intended activity in the internal sea waters, territorial waters or exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Latvia, the map shall be submitted in a smaller scale indicating the following co-ordinates of the intended activity: 4.1. ellipsoidal (geographic) co-ordinates in the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS 84), if it is intended to perform the activity in the territorial waters or exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Latvia; or 4.2. plane co-ordinates in the Latvian co-ordinate system LKS92TM, if it is intended to perform the activity in the internal sea waters of the Republic of Latvia. 5. If the intended activity submission has been submitted in accordance with the requirements referred to in Section 7 of the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment, the Bureau shall, within three working days after taking of a decision on the application or non-application of the environmental impact assessment of the intended activity: 5.1. insert information regarding the decision taken on the Internet home page thereof; 5.2. notify the decision thereof, in writing, to the initiator, the relevant board, the concerned State institutions and local government, in the administrative territory of which the intended activity is planned (hereinafter – local government). Concurrently with the decision the Bureau shall inform the initiator and the local government, if the Bureau requests the Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 3 organisation of an initial public discussion meeting regarding the intended activity (hereinafter – initial meeting). 6. If the intended activity submission has been submitted in accordance with Section 8 or 8. 1 of the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment, the relevant board or the State Environmental Service shall, within three working days after receipt of the intended activity submission, prepare an informative report regarding the intended activity, in which at least the following information shall be indicated: 6.1. the date of submitting the intended activity submission; 6.2. the name of the intended activity; 6.3. the potential sites (addresses) of the intended activity, also indicating whether the intended activity will be performed in a specially protected nature territory, in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga coastal protection zone or in a surface water body protection zone. If the sites of the intended activity are located in the internal sea waters, territorial waters or exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Latvia, the corner co-ordinates of the permit or licence area shall be indicated. 7. The State Environmental Service and the board shall acts as follows in relation the notification referred to in Paragraph 6 of this Regulation: 7.1. insert it on the Internet home page of the State Environmental Service. The informative report on the intended activity shall be available on the Internet home page until the Bureau takes a decision whether it is necessary to perform an environmental impact assessment of the intended activity; 7.2. send it electronically to the local government; or 7.3. send it electronically to the association or foundation, the purpose of which, in accordance with the statutes thereof, is environmental protection and which has applied to an authority and has indicated an e-mail address, to which information regarding the intended activities in the relevant territory should be sent. 8. If an expert opinion is necessary for the initial assessment, the costs related to the work of the expert shall be covered by the initiator. For the provision of an opinion in the field of protection of species and biotopes a certified expert in this field shall be invited. 9. If necessary, the State Environmental Service or the board shall, not later than within seven working days after receipt of a submission regarding an intended activity, request additional information from the initiator. 10. The State Environmental Service and the board shall prepare an initial assessment, in which the following shall be indicated: 10.1. the time and location of the preparation of the initial assessment; 10.2. the initiator’s given name, surname, personal identity number (for a legal person – name and registration number, for a public person or its authority – name), address, telephone number and electronic mail address; 10.3. information regarding the intended activity, the potential sites (addresses) of the intended activity and the types of technologies to be used; 10.4. the potential and anticipated environmental impact of the sites of the intended activity, as well as of the intended activity and the technologies to be used, and the assessment of such impact; 10.5. all the possible solutions in relation to the site of the intended activity and the substantial impact of the types of technologies to be used on the protected nature territory of European significance (NATURA 2000) and the assessment of such impact; 10.6. a recommendation regarding the necessity of an initial public discussion; Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 4 10.7. information regarding the opinion, if any, submitted by the public; 10.8. information regarding transboundary impact, if such is possible; and 10.9. other information, which may be important for the taking of a decision regarding the necessity of an environmental impact assessment of the intended activity. 11. The State Environmental Service and the board shall send the initial assessment and the intended activity submission to the Bureau. 12. The Bureau shall examine the prepared initial assessment and, within three working days after taking of a decision on the application or non-application of the environmental impact assessment of the intended activity or the assessment of the impact of the intended activity on the protected nature territory of European significance (NATURA 2000) in accordance with the requirements of the regulatory enactments regarding the procedures for the application or non-application of the impact assessment on the protected nature territory of European significance (NATURA 2000): 12.1. insert information regarding the decision taken on the Internet home page thereof; 12.2. notify the decision thereof in writing to the initiator, the relevant board, the concerned State institutions and the local government. Concurrently with the decision the Bureau shall send the initiator and local government information whether the Bureau requests the organisation of an initial meeting. 13. The State Environmental Service and local government shall, not later than within three working days after receipt of the decision referred to in Paragraph 12 of this Regulation, insert information regarding the referred to decision on the Internet home page thereof. 14. If the Bureau takes a decision that it is necessary to perform an environmental impact assessment of an intended activity: 14.1. the Bureau shall, within three working days after taking of the decision, send electronically information regarding the referred to decision to the association or foundation, the purpose of which, in accordance with the statutes thereof, is environmental protection and which has applied to the Bureau and has indicated an e-mail address, to which information regarding the intended activities in the relevant territory should be sent; 14.2. the local government shall, within five working days after receipt of the decision referred to in Sub-paragraph 5.2 or 12.2 of this Regulation, inform the initiator and the Bureau in writing whether the local government requests the organisation of an initial meeting. Such a request shall not be necessary, if the Bureau has, concurrently with notification of the decision, requested the initiator to organise an initial meeting. III. Initial Public Discussion and the Organisation Thereof 15. The initiator, after receipt of the information referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.2, 12.2 and 14.2 of this Regulation regarding an initial meeting, shall inform the public regarding the intended activity and the possibility to submit written proposals regarding the possible environmental impact of such activity: 15.1. by publishing a notification regarding the initial public discussion of the intended activity (hereinafter – notification regarding the initial discussion) in at least one of the newspapers issued by the local government or other local newspaper; 15.2. by individually informing the owners (possessors) of immovable properties, the immovable properties of which border on the territory of the intended activity, and indicating where in future information will be available regarding the intended activity and regarding the possibility to participate in the public discussion regarding the intended activity; Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 5 15.3. by submitting a notification regarding the initial discussion to the Bureau and local government electronically not later than within three working days after publication thereof; or 15.4. by inserting information regarding the intended activity on the Internet home page thereof or of the authorised person. 16. The Bureau and local government shall, within three working days after receipt of the notification regarding the intended activity, insert it on the Internet home page thereof. 17. The following information regarding an initial discussion shall be indicated in the notification referred to in Sub-paragraph 15.1 and Paragraph 16 of this Regulation: 17.1. the name of the intended activity; 17.2. the initiator (the given name, surname of a natural person, or the name and registration number of a legal person, or the name of a public person or its authority); 17.3. the potential sites (addresses) of the intended activity and, if possible, the cadastre numbers of the land units; 17.4. the date when the Bureau has taken a decision on the application of an environmental impact assessment of the intended activity; 17.5. a description of the intended activity (the types of technologies to be used and the territories subject to the impact); 17.6. information regarding transboundary impact, if such is possible; 17.7. the time and location where the public may acquire information regarding the intended activity and become acquainted with the prepared documents (the submission, the initial assessment, the decision on the necessity of the environmental impact assessment of the intended activity); 17.8. the date by which the public may submit written proposals to the Bureau; 17.9. the office address, telephone number and home page on the Internet; 17.10. the Internet home page address of the initiator or the authorised person thereof, where information regarding the intended activity has been inserted. 18. If, in accordance with the request of the Bureau or local government or upon the initiative of the initiator, an initial meeting is organised, the notification regarding the initial discussion shall additionally indicate the time and place of the initial meeting. The initiator shall organise the initial meeting not earlier than 10 days after publication in the newspaper issued by the local government or other local newspaper. 19. Any person has the right, within 20 days after publication of the notification referred to in Sub-paragraph 15.1 of this Regulation, to send written proposals to the Bureau regarding the possible environmental impact of the intended activity. The Bureau shall send the referred to proposals to the initiator. 20. The initiator shall prepare information regarding the intended activity and other materials necessary for the initial public discussion and, upon reaching an agreement with the local government, place them in the local government council building and the rural territory or town administration building not later than within three working days after publication of the notification referred to in Sub-paragraph 15.1 of this Regulation. 21. The initiator shall summarise and submit to the Bureau the results of the initial public discussion (minutes and other materials related to the discussion, as well as copies of publications and notifications and information regarding individual notification). Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 6 IV. Content and Development of a Programme 22. The initiator shall submit a written request to the Bureau regarding the development of a programme not earlier than after publication of a notification regarding the initial discussion in accordance with Sub-paragraph 15.1 of this Regulation. 23. The Bureau shall develop the programme within 30 days after the written request from the initiator regarding the development of a programme and, if it is necessary to involve experts in the development of the programme, after receiving payment in accordance with the price list of the public paid services provided by the Bureau. 24. The Bureau shall include in the programme the requirements for the preparation of a report in accordance with Paragraph 26 of this Regulation, taking into account the specific intended activity, as well as specifying the institutions and organisations, with which consultations shall be necessary or to which the report shall be submitted, prior to submitting the prepared report to the Bureau for the provision of an opinion. 25. If the initiator in accordance with Section 16, Paragraph four of the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment repeatedly requests the Bureau to issue a programme, the initiator shall repeatedly organise an initial public discussion in accordance with Chapter III of this Regulation. V. Content of the Report, Preparation Thereof and Informing of the Public 26. The information referred to in Section 17, Paragraph three of the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment shall be included in a report. It shall also be necessary in the report: 26.1. to reasonably justify the selection of the intended activity; 26.2. to evaluate the compliance of the intended activity with the regulatory enactments in which the requirements for the particular intended activity are incorporated; 26.3. to include an assessment of the state of the environment; 26.4. to characterise the intended activity and the environmental impact thereof, providing information according to the type of the intended activity: 26.4.1. to provide a description of the physical characteristics and requirements for the use of land during construction and exploitation; 26.4.2. to provide a characterisation of the main production processes; 26.4.3. to indicate the type and amount of anticipated waste (also hazardous), by-products and emissions (in water, air and soil), odours, noises, vibration, light, heat, radiation and other effects caused by the intended activity; 26.4.4. to provide information regarding the risk of accidents, a projection of emergency situations and measures for the prevention of accidents or decreasing the feasibility thereof; and 26.4.5. to provide information regarding the impact on air quality, taking into account the requirements of the regulatory enactments regarding the development of projects for emission limits of fixed pollution sources; 26.5. to characterise and assess the fields which may be significantly affected by the intended activity, the potential sites of the intended activity and technologies, and the interaction of such impacts (also human health and safety, biological diversity (including specially protected nature territories, specially protected species, specially protected biotopes and micro-reserves), soil quality, water quality, air quality, amount of greenhouse effect gases, landscape, material assets, cultural and natural heritage); 26.6. to characterise and assess the potential site of the intended activity, as well as substantial environmental impact of the intended activity and technologies (the Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 7 characterisation shall include the direct, indirect and secondary impact, the mutual and common impact of the intended activity and other actions, short-, medium- and long-term impact, as well as permanent, positive and negative impact), if the environmental impact is caused by: 26.6.1. the construction of an object; 26.6.2. the progress (production process) or the result of the intended activity; 26.6.3. the extraction and utilisation of natural resources; 26.6.4. emissions of pollutants, intended waste management; 26.7. to indicate the monitoring requirements for the environmental quality assessment (if necessary); 26.8. to indicate the projection methods used by the initiator in order to assess the environmental impact of the intended activity; 26.9. to indicate solution options and measures to prevent or reduce significant harmful environmental impact; 26.10. to summarise and assess written proposals submitted by the public and results of the public discussion (also the initial public discussion), as well as to evaluate the results of a poll of inhabitants (if such has been performed); 26.11. to provide a summary of the information referred to in Sub-paragraphs 26.1, 26.2, 26.3, 26.4, 26.5, 26.6, 26.7, 26.8 and 26.9 of this Regulation. The summary shall be formed without the use of specific technical descriptions and terms, so that it may be easily comprehensible for the public; and 26.12. to indicate whether there have been any problems (including unavailability of recognised technological solutions) during the preparation of the necessary information. 27. If the intended activity may have a substantial impact on the protected nature territory of European significance (NATURA 2000), the impact of the intended activity on this territory shall be assessed and a report on the impact assessment of the protected nature territory of European significance (NATURA 2000) shall be included in the report as a separate section in accordance with the assessment criteria and the information to be included in the assessment report, which has been specified in the regulatory enactments regarding the procedures for the assessment of impact on the protected nature territory of European significance (NATURA 2000). 28. After preparation of the report the initiator shall: 28.1. insert on the Internet home page thereof or of the authorised person this report and a notification regarding the possibility for the public to become acquainted with the report and the documents related thereto, to submit written proposals or opinions and to participate in public discussions (hereinafter – notification regarding the prepared report); 28.2. submit the report and the notification regarding the prepared report to the local government in writing and electronically; 28.3. after submission of the report to the local government in accordance with Sub paragraph 28.2 of this Regulation, within three working days, submit the notification regarding the prepared report for publication in at least one of the newspapers issued by the local government or other local newspaper; 28.4. submit the notification regarding the prepared report to the Bureau electronically; and 28.5. place the notification regarding the prepared report in public places (for example, in the library, post office or on the notification board of the local government). 29. The local government shall insert a notification regarding the prepared report on the Internet home page thereof and shall ensure the availability of the report to the public. Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 8 30. The Bureau shall insert the notification regarding the prepared report on the Internet home page thereof, also providing a link to the Internet home page of the initiator or the authorised person thereof, where the report is available. 31. At least the following information shall be indicated in the report referred to in Paragraphs 28, 29 and 30 of this Regulation: 31.1. the name and site of the intended activity; 31.2. the initiator (the given name, surname of a natural person, or the name and registration number of a legal person, or the name of a public person or its authority); 31.3. the date when the Bureau has taken the decision on the application of the environmental impact assessment of the intended activity, the title of the prepared report and the preparation date; 31.4. the person who prepared the report; 31.5. the time and location of the public discussion; 31.6. the time and location where the public may become acquainted with the report and other prepared documents; 31.7. the date by which the public may submit written proposals or opinions to the initiator and the Bureau; 31.8. the address, telephone number and the Internet home page of the Bureau; and 31.9. the address, telephone number of the initiator and the Internet home page address of the initiator or the authorised person thereof, where the notification is available. 32. Any person has the right to send written proposals or opinions on the report to the initiator and the Bureau within 30 days after publication of the notification referred to in Paragraph 28 of this Regulation in the newspaper issued by the local government or other local newspaper. 33. The initiator shall organise a public discussion meeting on the report not earlier than seven days after publication of the notification referred to in Paragraph 28 of this Regulation in the newspaper issued by the local government or other local newspaper and not later than 10 days prior to the end of the time period for the submission of public proposals. 34. The initiator, upon reaching an agreement with the local government, shall place the information regarding the intended activity, the report, the public discussion thereof and the materials necessary for the public discussion of the report, in the local government council building and the rural territory or town administration building not later than within three working days after publication of the notification regarding the prepared report referred to in Paragraph 28 of this Regulation in the newspaper issued by the local government or other local newspaper. 35. The initiator shall prepare the visual materials and copies of the documents necessary for a public discussion meeting. 36. The local government and the board shall participate in a public discussion meeting. 37. A representative of the local government shall preside over a public discussion meeting. If the local government does not agree to preside over the public discussion meeting, the local government shall inform the initiator and the relevant board thereof at least five working days prior to the public discussion meeting. In such case the public discussion meeting shall be presided over by a representative of the board. The initiator shall provide the persons present with information regarding the intended activity and shall ensure the keeping of the minutes of the meeting. The chair of the meeting shall ensure that the persons present have an Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 9 opportunity to ask questions and to express their opinion during the public discussion meeting. 38. The initiator shall, within working three days after the public discussion meeting, send the minutes of the meeting to the Bureau and local government, as well as insert them on the Internet home page of the initiator or the authorised person thereof. The minutes shall be made available to the public at the local government and the Bureau. Any participant of the meeting has the right, within seven days after the public discussion meeting, to submit to the initiator and the Bureau an individual opinion for addition to the minutes on the information recorded in the minutes regarding the public discussion meeting. 39. The initiator shall ensure access to information regarding the intended activity (including opinions provided by other institutions regarding the intended activity, as well as environmental information at the disposal of the initiator) also after the day when the public discussion meeting took place until receipt of the opinion of the Bureau on the report. 40. The initiator, upon evaluating the proposals submitted by the public and the results of the public discussion, shall update the report. A review of the public participation measures and the proposals submitted by the public shall be appended to the report. 41. The following shall be included in the review of the public participation measures and the proposals submitted by the public: 41.1. a list of the public participation measures taken; 41.2. copies of publications and notifications; and 41.3. information regarding proposals submitted by the public (also by the institutions and organisations referred to in Paragraph 24 of this Regulation), indicating how these proposals have been taken into account. VI. Procedures for the Sending of a Report to the Initiator for Revision and for the Provision of an Opinion on the Report 42. The initiator shall, after public discussion of a report: 42.1. submit to the Bureau the report and the notification regarding the report submitted to the Bureau in printed form and electronically; 42.2. within three working days after submitting the report to the Bureau insert the report and the notification regarding the report submitted to the Bureau on the Internet home page thereof or of the authorised representative; 42.3. submit to the local government the report and the notification regarding the report submitted to the Bureau in printed form and electronically. 43. The local government shall insert the notification received regarding the report submitted to the Bureau on the Internet home page thereof. 44. The Bureau shall insert the notification regarding the report submitted to the Bureau on the Internet home page thereof, ensuring also a link to the Internet home page of the initiator or the authorised representative thereof, where the report is available. 45. If it is necessary for the Bureau to invite experts for the evaluation of the report and preparation of an opinion, the initiator shall cover the costs of the services provided by the invited experts in accordance with the price list of the public paid services provided by the Bureau, before the Bureau has provided an opinion on the report. Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 10 46. If the Bureau, in accordance with Section 20 of the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment, has informed the initiator of the necessity to correct or revise the report, eliminating deficiencies therein, the initiator after updating the report shall: 46.1. submit to the Bureau the current version of the report and the notification regarding the current version of the report in printed form and electronically; 46.2. within three working days after submitting the current version of the report to the Bureau insert the current version of the report and the notification regarding the current version of the report on the Internet home page thereof or of the authorised representative; and 46.3. submit the current version of the report and the notification regarding the current version of the report to the local government in printed form and electronically. 47. The local government shall insert the notification received regarding the current version of the report on the Internet home page thereof. 48. The Bureau shall insert the prepared notification regarding the current version of the report on the Internet home page thereof, ensuring also a link to the Internet home page of the initiator or the authorised person thereof, where the report is available. 49. The notifications referred to in Paragraphs 42, 43, 44, 46, 47 and 48 of this Regulation shall at least indicate the following information: 49.1. the name and site of the intended activity; 49.2. the initiator (the given name, surname of a natural person, or the name and registration number of a legal person, or the name of a public person or its authority); 49.3. the date when the Bureau has taken a decision on the necessity of an environmental impact assessment; 49.4. the title of the prepared report, the date of preparation thereof and the date when the report (also the updated versions of the report) was submitted to the Bureau; 49.5. the person who prepared the report; 49.6. the address, telephone number of the initiator and the Internet home page address of the initiator or the authorised person thereof, where the public may become acquainted with the report. 50. The Bureau shall, after issuing an opinion on the report in accordance with the sample indicated in the Annex to this Regulation: 50.1. within three working days send the opinion on the report to the initiator, the State institutions involved in the environmental impact assessment and the local government (in printed form and electronically); 50.2. within three working days insert the opinion on the report and the report on the Internet home page thereof; 50.3. publish in at least one newspaper issued by the local government or other local newspaper a notification that an opinion on the report has been provided, and inform regarding the possibility to become acquainted with the referred to opinion and report. 51. The local government shall, not later than within three working days, insert the opinion received from the Bureau on the report on the Internet home page thereof. 52. The report shall be available on the Internet home page of the initiator or the authorised person thereof for at least three months or until the day when the relevant State institution, the Cabinet or local government has taken a decision on the intended activity. Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 11 VII. Informing the Public Regarding an Intended Activity in the Internal Sea Waters, Territorial Waters or the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Latvia 53. If it is planned to perform an intended activity in the internal sea waters or territorial waters of the Republic of Latvia, the Bureau, upon notifying the decision referred to in Sub paragraph 5.2 or 12.2 of this Regulation, shall concurrently inform thereof those coastal local governments, which are situated in the closest proximity to the probable site of the intended activity, and in which the public must be informed regarding the intended activity in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation (hereinafter – coastal local government). 54. In observing the conditions referred to in Paragraph 53 of this Regulation regarding informing the public: 54.1. the information and documents referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.2, 12.2, 15.3, 28.2, 42.3, 46.3 and 50.1 and Paragraph 38 of this Regulation shall be submitted to the coastal local government; 54.2. the notification referred to in Sub-paragraphs 15.1, 28.3 and 50.3 of this Regulation shall be published in at least one newspaper issued by the coastal local government or other local newspaper; 54.3. the information referred to in Paragraphs 13, 16, 29, 43 and 47 of this Regulation and the opinion referred to in Paragraph 51 of this Regulation shall be inserted by the coastal local government on the Internet home page thereof, the information referred to in Sub paragraph 14.2 of this Regulation shall also be sent to the initiator and the Bureau. 55. The initial public discussion referred to in Chapter III and the public discussion referred to in Chapter IV of this Regulation shall be organised in the territory of the coastal local government. The materials necessary for informing the public shall be placed in the council building of the relevant coastal local government. 56. The coastal local government and the State Environmental Service shall participate in the public discussion meeting. The meeting shall be presided by a representative of the coastal local government. If the local government does not agree to preside over the public discussion meeting, the local government shall inform the initiator and the State Environmental Service thereof at least five working days prior to the public discussion meeting. In such case the public discussion meeting shall be presided over by a representative of the State Environmental Service. 57. If it is planned to fully or partially perform the intended activity in the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Latvia, the informing of the public shall be performed in co-operation with the Ministry of Economics: 57.1. the information and documents referred to in Sub-paragraphs 5.2, 12.2, 15.3, 28.2, 42.3, 46.3 and 50.1 and Paragraph 38 of this Regulation shall be submitted to the Ministry of Economics, but the notification referred to in Sub-paragraphs 15.1, 28.3 and 50.3 of this Regulation shall be published in the newspaper Latvijas Vēstnesis [the official Gazette of the Government of Latvia]; 57.2. the information referred to in Paragraphs 13, 16, 29, 43 and 47 of this Regulation and the opinion referred to in Paragraph 51 of this Regulation shall be inserted by the coastal local government on the Internet home page thereof, the information referred to in Sub paragraph 14.2 of this Regulation shall also be sent to the initiator and the Bureau; 57.3. the initial public discussion referred to in Chapter III and the public discussion referred to in Chapter IV of this Regulation shall be organised and the materials necessary for informing the public shall be placed in the location specified by the Ministry of Economics; and Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 12 57.4. the Ministry of Economics and the State Environmental Service shall participate in the public discussion meeting referred to in Chapter IV of this Regulation. The public discussion meeting shall be presided over by a representative of the Ministry of Economics. VIII. Closing Provision 58. Sub-paragraph 7.1 and Paragraph 13 of this Regulation in relation to the insertion of information on the home page of the State Environmental Service shall come into force on 1 June 2011. Informative Reference to European Union Directives This Regulation contains legal norms arising from: 1) Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds; and 2) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment; 3) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora; 4) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment; and 5) Directive 2003/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment and amending with regard to public participation and access to justice Council Directives 85/337/EEC and 96/61/EC. Prime Minister V. Dombrovskis Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development R. Vējonis Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 13 Annex Cabinet Regulation No. 83 25 January 2011 Opinion No. on the report on (title of the report) Valid until (date) Initiator of the intended activity (the given name, surname, address and telephone number of a natural person or the name, registration number, legal address and telephone number of a legal person, or the name, registration number, address and telephone number of a public person or its authority) Person who drafted the report (the given name, surname, address and telephone number of a natural person or the name, registration number, legal address and telephone number of a legal person) Report submitted to the Environment State Bureau on (date) The opinion has been issued in accordance with Section 20, Paragraph two of the Law On Environmental Impact Assessment, and it includes conditions in accordance with Section 20, Paragraph ten of this Law. 1. Name of the intended activity 2. Potential sites of the intended activity address (addresses) 3. Short characterisation of the intended activity 4. Evaluated documentation 5. Information regarding the opinions and arguments of the interested parties aggregated during the evaluation process of the intended activity (including regarding the results of the public discussion) Translation © 2011 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre) 14 6. Conditions under which the intended activity is to be implemented or is not permitted Director Date (signature, given name, surname) Note. The details of the document “signature” and “date” shall not be completed if the electronic document has been drawn up in conformity with the regulatory enactments regarding drawing up of electronic documents. Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development R. Vējonis