Legal Framework of Chilean EIA: New Agencies / EIA in Disasters IAIA11 EIA Legislation

Transcripción

1 Legal Framework of Chilean EIA: New Agencies / EIA in Disasters IAIA11 EIA Legislation Thursday, 2 June 2011 Andrés Sáez Legal Department SEA Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 1

2 CONTENTS 1. Legal Framework of Chilean EIA before Critics to the Chilean Model 3. Main Aspects of the Amendment in Chilean EIA 5. EIA After Natural Disasters Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 2

3 1. Legal Framework of Chilean EIA before Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 3

4 ENVIRONMENTAL FRAMEWORK Chilean Constitution 1980 right to live in an environment free of pollution. Rio Convention on Biodiversity: UNEP Report for Chile. Law No. 19,300 enacted in 1994: Serves as framework for more than 700 existing regulations. Establishes multiple environmental tools: Environmental Impact Assessment (Influenced by US NEPA 1969). Emission and Quality Standards. Pollution prevention and decontamination plans. Environmental Liability Regime. Creates an Agency: National Environmental Comission. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 4

5 ENVIRONMENTAL COMISSION Coordination of multiple agencies and ministries with environmental concern: Livestock Agency / Fauna (Agriculture Minister). National Forrest Corporation / Protected Areas (Agriculture Minister). General Water Bureau (Public Works Minister). Sanitary Authority (Health Minister). Multiple functions of Comission: Environmental policies and regulation. Management of the EIA. Enforcement of projects and sources. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 5

6 2. Critics to the Model 6 Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 6

7 MAIN CRITICS Domestic Critics: Coordination structure in vertical administration. Adequate EIA of projects. Chilean environmental performance focused on EIA. Lack of policies and regulation. Deficient enforcement (sanctioning strategy). Political decisions rather than technical decisions. Foreign Critics: Coordination depends on political will. Inadequate treatment of natural resources. Deficient enforcement (OECD). Lack of innovation and incentives in regulation (command control v/s economic tools). EPI Chile No. 26 among 133 countries. OECD Chile should be No. 22 among member countries (it was not). Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 7

8 EPI RANK Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 8

9 OECD RANK Chile (78.9 according to EPI) Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 9

10 3. Main Aspects of the Amendment in 2010 Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 10 10

11 Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 11

12 NEW AGENCIES Ministry of the Environment Policies Regulation Sustainability Ministers Council Proposal of Policies Environmental Assessment Agency EIA Management Base Line Information Environmental Superintendence Enforcement and Fines Environmental Court Tribunales Ambientales Environmental Justice Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 12

13 NEW AGENCIES Ministry: 100% of UE countries have a Ministry. 95% of OECD countries have a Ministry. Environmental Assessment Agency: Technical agency specialized in EIA. Superintendence: Change of paradigm: compliance model v/s sanctioning model. Wide powers. Fines up to US$ 8,4 million closure of facilities. Environmental Court: Currently under discussion in Chilean parliament. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 13

14 4. Derecho del Medio Ambiente Chilean EIA Derecho del Medio Ambiente 14 Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 14

15 EIA IN CHILE CHARACTERISTICS: Preventive environmental tool set forth in Single Window System. Mandatory for specific projects or activities. Identifies possible infringements of legislation. Public participation. Integrates different assessments: EIA: Environment. HIA: Health. SIA: Social. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 15

16 INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT SYSTEM EIA HIA SIA Most effective system according to literature. Less bureaucracy. Chile adopts integrated assessment system EIA: 11 letters b) y d) HIA: 11 letters a) SIA: 11 letters c), d) y e) Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 16

17 EIA PROCEDURE No Should enter to EIA? Answer: Art. 10 Law Voluntary Assessment In EIA? No Yes Yes Sectorial Procedure How should be submiaed? Study or DeclaraCon? Answer: Art. 11 Law No Significant Impacts art. 11 Generates Significant Impacts art. 11 DeclaraCon Study Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 17

18 EIA PROCEDURE Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 18

19 MAIN GOALS OF CHILEAN EIA Mandatory EIA: Depends on types of projects included in a list, despite the impacts of them (Article 10 Law 19,300). Mechanisms of EIA: 1. Environmental Impact Declaration: 1. Ensure project does not generate significant impacts (Does not require a Study). 2. Check project is meeting legal requirements. 2. Environmental Impact Study: 1. Define and assess important aspects of projects using adequate methodologies: 1. Location of the project. 2. Natural resources used by the project. 3. Emissions of the project. 4. Management of wastes and hazardous substances. 5. Other characteristics causing impacts on the environment. 2. Predict the environment: Predict and model using adequate methodologies. 3. Appropriate follow - up: Avoid and treatment of unforeseen impacts. 4. Adequate mitigation, reparation and compensation measures. 5. Check project is meeting legal requirements. Discretional aspects: Generation of significant impacts à Adequate mitigation, reparation and compensation measures for these impacts. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 19

20 5. EIA After Natural Disasters Gobierno Gobierno de de Chile Chile Servicio Servicio de de Evaluación Evaluación Ambiental Ambiental 20

21 OVERVIEW Chile as a vulnerable country in natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc.). Previous Law does not have adequate procedure for these emergencies. New Environmental Law recognizes a special procedure for EIA in this scenario. Urgent EIA: Studies should be qualified in half the time. Normal EIA = business days. Urgent EIA = business days. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 21

22 REQUIREMENTS Legal Requirements for Urgent EIA: Only for Environmental Studies no Statements. The project must comply with: Projects for urgent requirements of the population. Essential services that cannot be paralyzed without causing a serious damage for the country. The urgent qualification is determined by the Director of the Environmental Assessment Agency. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 22

23 CRITICAL REVIEW The main critics in our opinion are: Why only studies? - Statements comprehends almost 96% of EIA. - What if the urgent project does not generate significant impacts? Its EIA shouldn t be reduced to half the time? - Studies need at least 6-12 months baselines studies: and the urgency? Due to the reduced qualification time, the EIA should focus in special subjects and issues. Is the National Director the adequate authority to determine the urgency scenario? - Assessment Agency is a technical authority for EIA, but not for urgent scenarios in Chile. - The Regional Director has better knowledge of its region. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 23

24 CASE STUDY: 2010 EARTHQUAKE In February 2010 an 8,8 Richter scale magnitude earthquake affected central south Chile. Bío Bio bridge collapsed leaving half of the second country s most important region isolated. Temporary solution dealt with ferries to cross the river, activity that was assessed through an environmental statement of 35 days. Mechanical bridge was submitted as a mid term solution: it was not submitted to EIA. According to our information, such bridge might have entered EIA: amount of aggregates to be extracted. Terms of the Law discourage EIA in these cases. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 24

25 CONCLUSIONS Urgent EIA is necessary not only for Studies but also for Statements. EIA should focus on significant issues due to reduced terms in the assessment (i.e. generation of irreversible impacts). The authority should have a political and regional standpoint. Gobierno de Chile Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental 25

26 Thanks! Andrés Sáez A. Chief Legal Department SEA (56 2)