News | Sunday, 22 March 2009

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After 10 years, MEPA appoints board to regulate EIA consultants

James Debono
A register of consultants who conduct environmental impact assessments is to be set up in what is a first step at ensuring more professionalism in planning projects.
Ten years after EIAs became a requirement for major projects, the Prime Minister has appointed a board to draw up register of EIA consultants.
It will ensure consultants working on EIAs are suitably qualified and held accountable for their work.
At present, MEPA has no power to take action against consultants who present flawed reports just to justify projects proposed by the developers who pay them for these EIAs.
Gonzi said in parliament that although the board responsible for drafting and enforcing the register was appointed in January, the register is still pending.
Only 19 projects from a total of 103 that required an EIA have been turned down by the MEPA board since 1995.
EIAs are conducted by consultants chosen and paid by the developer. When the register is completed, developers will only be able to choose from among the EIA consultants listed in the register.
“The Authority will be meeting the board to ensure that the mechanisms required to put the registry in place are enacted as soon as possible,” Gonzi said, replying to a question by Labour environment spokesperson Leo Brincat.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said the new board will be chaired by Kevin Gatt, who specialised in hydrology for environmental management though an MSc at Imperial College, London and later read for an MBA at the University of Malta.
He was involved in strategic national plans such as the sewerage master plan, the national reform programme, the climate change action plan, as well as being Malta’s representative to the “Group of Friends of the Presidency” who would review the EU strategy on sustainable development.
The other members of the board are Nadia Demarco and Vince Gauci.

MEPA and EIAs
www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/02/11/t12.html

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