Environmental: More time to comment on EIA protocols

Stakeholders now have until 24 March to comment on two draft protocols that, once finalised, will be used when assessing and reporting on the impact of development activities requiring environmental authorisation, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. They were gazetted last month for input. Focusing on terrestrial animal and plant species, each draft protocol provides for three sets of assessment requirements informed by species-specific conservation imperatives underpinning the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s web-based environmental screening tool. This is noting that areas identified for development differ in their levels of environmental sensitivity. It is intended that the proposed new protocols should replace Appendix 6 (specialist reports) of the 2014 environmental impact assessment regulations. The Government Gazette notice announcing the new deadline includes links to best practice guidelines, as well as the national plant and animal species red lists – presumably with a view to providing background information.