The Malta Environment and Planning Authority published the Environment Report for the Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) for an eight week consultation period.

SEA regulations oblige the authority to carry out an assessment of plans or programmes likely to have significant effects on the environment prior to their adoption. The report is one of the plans identified as requiring this assessment.

It explains the SEA framework and methodology, elaborates on the environmental baseline, describes the assessment of the environmental impacts of alternative strategies and the chosen option and identifies the monitoring requirements.

To ensure that the public is given the full facility to scrutinise and submit its feedback on both the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) and the Environment Report, the authority is extending the public consultation of SPED by further four weeks.

The proposed SPED document, which in the coming months will replace the 1992 Structure Plan and regulate the sustainable use and management of land and sea resources in an integrated manner up to 2020 was launched for public consultation at the end of March.

Both the SPED document and its Environment Report may be viewed on the authority's website.

Hard copies of the SPED and its Environment Report are also available for viewing at the Front Office of MEPA's offices in Floriana.

Individuals and organisations are being invited to send their submissions in writing to Mepa, director of planniSg, strategic Plan for the Environment and Planning, PO Box 200, Marsa MRS 1000, e-mail: sped@mepa.org.mt (related to the SPED document) or sped-sea@mepa.org.mt (related to the Environment Report).

Submissions should reach the authority by June 20.