Draft Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2020

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has published the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2020, which will replace the existing 2006 EIA Notification under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Key Proposals: Time for Public Hearings: It proposes reduction in the notice period for public hearings from existing 30 days to 20 days.

• Exemption from Public Hearing: Under the notification various projects seeking modernization with a capacity increase of up to 50% have been exempted from public scrutiny. Projects under exempted category include Offshore and onshore oil, gas and shale exploration, Hydroelectric projects, Irrigation projects, Small and medium cement plants, ....