Guidelines for environment impact assessment consultants issued
The government has published guidelines for the registration of consultants who wish to work on environment impact assessments (EIAs).
The guidelines, which are part of the Mepa reform proposals, were announced by Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco.
The Mepa reform proposals feature the setting up of a Registration and Review Board which will oversee the registration of the consultants.
The consultants will be required to apply on a personal basis - and not as companies. They will be subject to review before renewal.
Dr de Marco said EIAs will henceforth feature mandatory monitoring by people who are independent of the consultants.
Architect Kevin Gatt, who chairs the Registration and Review Board, said the guidelines were based on foreign standards adapted for local needs.
Three categories of registration have been proposed - junior impact assessor,senior impact assessor and environmental impact assessment coordinator. The guidelines also feature a code of practice for the consultants.
Details can be found on www.rrb.gov.mt.
The consultation process will be open for six weeks.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
4 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Mark Cassar
Aug 14th 2009, 12:44
Dear Government,
This is too little too late. Who will review the consultants' work? Independant monitoring by individuals appointed by whom? This is bureacracy created for the sake of transparency, and to make it appear as if there are checks and balances, but for what purpose? To pull wool over the public's eyes?
Marco Cremona
Aug 12th 2009, 20:19
There's nothing new here. MEPA was obliged - by law - to administer a register of EIA consultants since the first EIA legislation was enacted in 1994.
Due to public/NGO pressure government is now doing something it was obliged to do by law 15 years ago !!.
Should we sing praise, I don't think so.
First we let the situation fester, then we administer the medicine and hope that all wounds will heal and all scars disappear.
And by the way, will all those consultants who produced shoddy work to the detriment of our environment (but fattened their pockets) in the last 15 years be allowed to register and continue to work as nothing was?
Joseph Schembri
Aug 12th 2009, 18:06
The system whereby EIAs are financed and commissioned by the developer is in itself a nesting ground for wrongdoing. The authority should appoint its own EIA consultants and then send the bill to the developer.
J. Borg
Aug 12th 2009, 15:51
Personal Liability should be imposed.