Worker Voice

Abstract

Interest is growing in stimulating improvements in the quality of environmental statements (ESs) /environmental impact statements (EISs) by providing for their systematic review. The different types of organisations and stages in the environmental assessment (EA)/environmental impact assessment (EIA) process at which EIS reviews might be undertaken are analysed. Previous studies relating to EIS review and quality are surveyed. The development of a new Environmental Statement Review Package is detailed and the findings based on its use in reviewing a sample of UK environmental statements are summarised. These suggest that only a minority of such EISs were of satisfactory quality. The possible reasons for poor quality are examined and measures to improve the situation are proposed.