The rules for clearing environmental hurdles are changing to speed up investment and industrialisation – and environmentalists are in support.
The old environmental impact assessment (EIA) is making way for a faster, smarter, strategic environmental assessment (SEA) regulation.
In his policy speech on Wednesday, economic development, environmental affairs and tourism MEC Sakhumzi Somyo said complaints that “long-drawn-out EIAs” were delaying investment had led to changes to the National Environmental Management Act (Nema).
The new regulations will stipulate “timeframes for every step in the EIA process and will establish a maximum timeframe which may not be exceeded by any EIA process”, said Somyo.
Calling the SEA “a more strategic approach”, the MEC said areas could now be identified where the environment was not “sensitive to a particular activity”.
The intention was to reduce and streamline EIA requirements in these non-sensitive areas.
A leading Eastern Cape environmental scientist and EIA specialist, Dr Alan Carter, gave the SEA a thumbs up. “It is a very good tool. It is well developed. We use it a lot. It is forward thinking, more strategic and proactive.”
Although the SEA was still to be promulgated, he said he was already applying SEA principles in his EIA work. “The SEA looks at the broader scale. It is not project-based. It looks holistically at a large geographic area and tells you what industry is suitable for an area, and what the outcomes and constraints will be.
“If the SEA finds that a particular area is suitable for aquaculture, this makes it much easier for regulators to make decisions about projects.”
SEAs could be carried out for entire municipalities, forestry areas, catchment areas, or large industry-designated sites. “SEAs set the guidelines and facilitate decision-making. You still have to get authorisation based on the EIA rules.”
Border-Kei Chamber of Business director Les Holbrook welcomed the SEA change but said: “The problem has been the red tape after an EIA is submitted.
“Around the world, in developed and undeveloped countries, it can take only a week to get authorisation. Here it can take up to three years.”
“Investors come here and show commitment and interest in setting up an office block or factory, but we can’t put a rusty nail in a tree without a permit.
“Investors have to go through so many channels and doors and get so many signatures that they go away.
“The environmental studies are quite quick. In a month it is done, but then you find yourself waiting.”
Ayanda Ramncwana, spokeswoman for the ELIDZ, said the SEA was “definitely a boost for the province”.
“Our value proposition focuses on offering investors a streamlined business environment and this new regulation enables us to walk the talk.
“It will ensure that we can highlight both the suitable and sensitive areas in relation to their business activities.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za