Introduction

Best practice in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) recommends the use of a Schedule of Environmental Commitments, which can act as a quick reference for anyone interested in the mitigation measures to which the Applicant has committed to implementing and upon which the assessment of residual effects presented within the EIA Report has been based. It will be utilised by the Applicant throughout development of the detailed design, and the appointed contractors will be required to allow for, and ultimately implement, each of the measures in this schedule as a minimum.

Table 15.1.1   Open ▸ presents a Schedule of Environmental Commitments for the Proposed Development, listed according to the relevant environmental topic area. Individual EIA Report chapters should be referred to for full details of the mitigation.

As detailed in Volume 1, Chapter 2, mitigation is classified into three types, as per IEMA’s Guidance (2016):

• Primary – inherent mitigation which is part of the proposed development’s design;
• Secondary – foreseeable mitigation which requires further activity, identified through the EIA process, e.g. implementation of traffic management measures or planning conditions; and
• Tertiary – inexorable mitigation which will be implemented regardless of the design process and the EIA, e.g. contractor standard industry practices which manage potential nuisance activities or compliance with statutory requirements.

Table 15.1.1 Schedule of Environmental Commitments