BERNAMApic
PUTRAJAYA: Executive summaries of environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports will be made accessible to the public from February.
This is under the First and Second Schedules of the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activities) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 2015 and the summaries will be available on the Enviro Digital@DOE library website.
Natural Resources And Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (pic) said the Environment Department (DOE) currently displays and updates the status of EIA report decisions on its website.
"However, access to EIA reports is currently limited to activities listed under the Second Schedule of the 2015 Order during the public display period,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 22).
To improve transparency and public engagement, the DOE has outlined a two-phase plan for public access to EIA reports.
During the short-term phase, only executive summaries of EIA reports will be accessible to the public via the Enviro Digital@DOE website.
In the long term, the DOE will evaluate the feasibility of allowing full EIA reports to be downloaded from its website.
This will involve reviewing funding requirements, preparing legal changes to the Environmental Quality Act 1974, and upgrading its facilities.
The ministry also welcomes public feedback on EIA reports for specific development proposals during the public display period, where these reports will be uploaded periodically on the DOE website.
Nik Nazmi said the aim is to enhance transparency and encourage public involvement in sustainable environmental management.
"With this access, we hope to eliminate any doubts about the EIA reports approved by the DOE and encourage the public to play a more active role in environmental sustainability,” he said.
For access to full EIA reports, the public can contact state DOE Offices or the DOE headquarters.
EIA reports are a critical part of the planning process to prevent environmental degradation and ensure sustainable development practices. – Bernama