Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

An environmental impact assessment report (EIA) is published for projects on new offshore installations or pipelines

Projects on extraction of hydrocarbons and installation of pipelines

 

When applying for permission to or approval of projects for extraction of hydrocarbons or installation of pipelines in the Danish territorial waters and continental shelf area, the applicant must often prepare an environmental impact assessment report (EIA).

 

An EIA report must be available before the Danish Energy Agency can grant permission to or approval of major projects pursuant to sections 10, 17 23 d, 23 k, 23 u and 28 of the Subsoil Act and section 4 of the Continental Shelf Act as well as section 2 of Executive Order on certain pipeline installations for the transport of hydrocarbons in Danish Territorial Waters and Continental Shelf.

Detailed rules are laid down in Executive Order No. 684 of 23 June 2011 on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), impact assessment regarding international natural habitats and conservation of certain species at projects offshore on exploration and extraction of hydrocarbons, storage in the subsoil, pipelines, et cetera. 

 

Publication in newspapers

 

Information about an application and the accompanying EIA report will be published in national newspapers, allowing the public to submit comments on the EIA report to the Danish Energy Agency within the public comment period of minimum eight weeks.

Once a decision has been made, information about the decision must be published in the same newspapers that carried information about the application.

Complaint procedure on environmental issues

 

Any parties having a substantial and individual interest in the decision may within four weeks file a complaint in writing with the Energy Board of Appeal against the environmental issues relating to any such decision.

 

Local and national associations or organizations whose main objective is to protect nature and the environment may also appeal against the decision. The same applies to local and national associations and organizations whose objective is to safeguard substantial recreational interests, where the decision affects these interests.


Danish Energy Agency    Amaliegade 44     DK 1256 Copenhagen K    Phone: +45 33 92 67 00    Fax: +45 33 11 47 43    ens@ens.dk    Further contact information