Preparing Environmental Impact Surveys for specific types of plans is mandatory, and anchored in the Planning and Building Regulations (Environmental Impact Surveys) of 2003.
Environmental Impact Surveys are a mandatory statutory tool, anchored in the Planning and Building Law and structured into the statutory planning process.
Preparing Environmental Impact Surveys for specific types of plans is mandatory and anchored in the Planning and Building Regulations (Environment Impact Surveys) of 2003. It is the main statutory tool for incorporating environmental considerations into various plans, but there are also other documents, such as landscape-environmental appendices, environmental opinions, environmental documents, etc. The Environmental Impact Survey is a document which reviews the link between a suggested plan and its surroundings, evaluates the foreseeable impact of the plan on said environment, and details the means needed to prevent or minimize any negative effects. The survey can also inspect the foreseeable implications of a new plan on the existing environment, such as a new neighborhood in close proximity to an active harbor, beach or loud source of noise.
The roles of the survey or environmental document are:
· Decision-maker tool – including environmental considerations in the inspection process as well as considering planning alternatives from an environmental perspective.
· Entrepreneur tool – understanding the environmental repercussions of the project and related planning changes.
· Public tool – understanding the possible repercussions of a plan as a process to include the public and as an information foundation for submitting objections.
An Environmental Impact Survey is a mandatory statutory tool, anchored in the Planning and Building Law and structured into the statutory planning process, mostly according to:
· Planning and Building Regulations (Environmental Impact Surveys) of 2003
· Amendment 37 of the Planning and Building Law – Roads and Railways (initiated, 1994)
A requirement to prepare an Environmental Impact Survey or a landscape-environmental appendix might also be included in a national or regional outline plan.
An Environmental Impact Survey is usually comprised of the following chapters:
· Chapter A – Describing the environment in which the planning takes place (existing conditions).
· Chapter B – Inspecting alternative locations (including zero alternatives)
· Chapter C – Describing the plan and the activities it entails.
· Chapter D – Evaluating environmental impacts and minimization/prevention means.
· Chapter E – Suggestions for plan instructions
Where there is great importance in searching for macro-alternatives, the survey can be split into two parts: preparing chapters A and B and presenting the conclusions on the alternative decision at the planning institute.
The survey is then completed with chapters C-E, and the entire plan along with the survey is presented for a decision at the planning institute.
The ESD team is greatly involved in the field of reviews and additional environmental documents, plans such as roads (Golani-Amiad, Afula-Beit She’an, Beit Shemesh Intersection, Shilat Intersection), the Green Line of the Jerusalem tram, an access road to Harish, a new neighborhood with an industrial zone in south Quiryat Malachi, Shfa’im, Kfar Vitkin, Lod Railroad Complex, railroads at Be’er Sheva, Arad, Yad Mordechai-Erez, IDF bases (Netafim, Mishmar HaNegev, Beit Nabbalah), etc.
The surveys were submitted as part of the plans for the national council, the Committee for Planning and Building National Infrastructure, the National Committee for Planning and Building Residentially Preferred Complexes, and regional and local committees.