Widening the scope: strategic environmental assessment - Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment - page 382

The findings of A-C should be published in an Environmental Report alongside the draft
plan, and made available to the public and statutory consultees. The Environmental
Report should discuss:

• The baseline situation, including any problems
• Links to other PPPs and environmental objectives
• Environmental and sustainability problems
• How these problems were taken into account when choosing the preferred options and
developing the plan (sub-components)
• Other options considered, and why these were rejected
• Significant environmental impacts of the plan as a whole and of key plan sub-
components
• Proposed mitigation measures, e.g. changes to the plan, suggestions for changes to other
plans
• Links to project EIA, design guidance, etc.
• Proposed monitoring arrangements.

After the consultation responses have been received, they must be “taken into account” in
the final plan. Once the final plan has been agreed, it must be published alongside a
statement that explains how the authority has taken the findings of the SEA and the
consultation responses into account, and “the reasons for choosing the plan…as adopted,
in the light of the other reasonable alternatives dealt with”. The statement should also
confirm the monitoring measures that will be carried out.

E. Monitoring the implementation of the plan
Finally, the authority must monitor the significant environmental impacts of the plan's
implementation. Table 12.7 shows a possible format for this.
Table 12.7 Possible monitoring framework

What to
monitor
(indicator)

Where do
monitoring data
come from?

How
often?

When should
action be
considered?

What could be done
if a problem is
identified?

( Source: Levett-Therivel 2004.)

12.6 Summary

The next few years will see a rapid evolution of SEA practice in Europe and
internationally. Environmental databases will be set up and improved, impact prediction
and assessment techniques will evolve, and strategic-level consultation will flourish.
What is less certain is what effect this will have on decision-making: it should become
more transparent, robust and sustainability-oriented, but will it do so in practice? And,
will improved SEA lead to more concise, more effective EIA?