Environment & Electricity
EPA (Emergency Electricity Generation) 2023
This Act is to provide for an application process and public consultation in relation to licence applications to the Environmental Protection Agency from designated developments under the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022.
The Act amends the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 to enable the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide for arrangements for an alternative assessment to be carried out by the Agency in respect of an application for a licence for an activity in relation to designated development within the meaning of the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022 in accordance with Article 2(4) of Directive No. 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014.
The Act provides for the information obtained under such assessment to be made available to the public. The Act also provides for co-ordination of the alternative assessment and an appropriate assessment of such activity for the purposes of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora and for other related matters.
Designated Development
The 2023 Act amend Section 3 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (Act of 1992) to include in its definitions the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022, (Act of 2022) a definition for “designated development” and assigns a meaning for an application for a licence that forms part of a designated development as a “designated application”.
The exemption under section 5(1) of the Act of 2022 applies to an application under Part IV of the Act of 1992 in respect of activity relating to designated development. The Agency in performing its function in respect of designated development shall do so in a manner consistent with the plans, strategy, framework and objectives referred to in section 15(1) of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 to the extent that the Agency considers practicable, taking particular account of the said exceptional circumstances and urgent compelling necessity.
Alternative Assessment
There is an alternative assessment and associated environmental report that form part of that process. The 2023 Act disapplies, in the case of designated developments, certain standard provisions that would otherwise appply.
An alternative assessment is to be carried out by the Agency and for designated applications to include the Environmental Report prepared in accordance with of the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Regulations 2022. The process and format for alternative assessment will be set out in Regulations under Section 7 of the Act.
In the case of designated applications, certain provisions that relate to planning and EIA are disapplies. Instead, a new provision is inserted for designated applications.
Processing of designated application
There is a new provision for designated applications (section 87A) to be inserted into the Act of 1992 and is intended to ensure that the Agency does not grant a licence in respect of a designated development unless the Minister has approved the designated development in accordance with the Development (Emergency Electricity Generation) Act 2022.
Amendment of EPA Act of 1992
There are procedures for the Agency to take alternative assessment into account before making a decision on a designated application and intends that these procedures will be set out in Regulations.
The Agency is to incorporate, as a condition to a licence, any feature of the project or measure envisaged to prevent, reduce or offset significant adverse effects on the environment ; It ensures that the Agency incorporates into its decision, documentation relating to the alternative assessment as may be prescribed for the purposes of ensuring that the objectives of the EIA Directive are met.
The Agency is to inform the public and other persons of its decision in respect of a designated application.
Matters are to be prescribed in relation to the alternative assessment, procedures for consultation to be carried out by the EPA. As part of the alternative assessment , the Agency is obliged to assess the impacts (if any) on natural habitats, fauna and flora in accordance with Council Directive 92/43/EEC as amended, including to consider whether there is a derogation for the purpose of Article 16 of that Directive in respect of a designated development.