EIAs and Permits
Our Service Areas
Industrial Compliance & Risk Management
From Impact Assessment to Permitting
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) are crucial processes designed to evaluate the potential environmental effects of proposed projects before they are carried out. The conditions for the requirement for an EIA and / or an SEA are set in the Act on Environmental Assessment Procedure (252/2017) and Act on the Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Plans and Programmes of Public Authorities (8.4.2005/200), respectively.
The EIA Act specifies which projects require an assessment due to their likely significant environmental impacts. Types of projects that generally require an EIA in Finland include large-scale infrastructure projects like highways, railways, and airports, as well as energy related projects and infrastructure.
The documents produced in connection with the EIA procedure and the assessment programme are publicly available for the purose of presenting opinions and statements. As a first major step in the EIA process an EIA programme is developed: the programme includes a summary of the opinions and statements given by relevant parties. The EIA programme is followed by the compilation of an EIA report, which is made up of several studies and assessments that follow the EIA programme and relevant statements.
Depending on the Project’s nature, several permits might be necessary, the most important of which are building permits (required for all buildings) and environmental permits (when applicable). An EIA is not a permit, but it helps the relevant authorities to make decisions on required actions and possible mitigation measures. Upon issuing a permit (such as an environmental permit or building permit), the authorities interpret Finnish legislation and regulation and ask for further clarification and statements on the possible mitigatory measures and other requirements for the permit.
The building of structures and infrastructure is further regulated by the Land use and building act. In many cases these processes can be intertwined in a variety of ways.
Land Use Considerations
Master plans and partial master plans that follow from them, act as the guiding documents for building permits and requirements arising from them. The Land Use and Building Act’s most important sections are outlined below.
- The master plan must be based on necessary studies and surveys to assess its significant impacts. The purpose and function of the master plan will be taken into account when assessing its impact.
- When drawing up a master plan, the environmental impact of the plan and of the implementation of the alternatives under consideration, including social, cultural and other impacts, must be examined to the extent necessary. The studies shall be carried out for the whole area where the plan is likely to have significant effects.
- A building permit may also be granted for areas that do not yet have a legally valid zoning plan. In such cases, the building permit shall stipulate that construction may not commence until the land-use plan has entered into force. The permit shall be deemed to have expired if the land-use plan does not enter into force in the timeframe referred to in the permit.
Our Track Record
At DGE, we have extensive experience in conducting EIAs and permit consultation for various industrial and energy projects across the Nordic and Baltic region. We have a long history in the consideration of land use aspects of different projects. Our expertise in the Finnish permitting process ensures that your company doesn’t have to spend valuable time figuring everything out independently.
Areas We Cover:
- EIA, Permitting and Land Use Due Diligence
- Permit Applicability Consultation
- Natura Assessments
- Biodiversity Surveys
- Social Impact Surveys
- Permit Applications
Contact:
Heikki Kalle
EIA specialist & contact
heikki.kalle@dge-group.com
Udvalgte referencer
