SEA Practical Guidance for Practitioners on How to Take Account of Air, Water and Soil
UKCC09
April 2009

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Project funders/ partners: SNIFFER on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and in partnership with the Environment Agency and Historic Scotland.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) European Directive 2001/42/EC requires that the likely effects of implementing a plan or programme on various environmental topics are taken into account.  These include: Biodiversity; Population; Human Health; Fauna; Flora; Soil; Water; Air; Climatic Factors; Material Assets; Cultural Heritage and Landscape. This guidance was developed to support SEA practitioners in Scotland and Northern Ireland on how to take into account the potential environmental effects upon air, water and soil of implementing a plan, programme or strategy.

The objectives of this guidance are to:
  1. Ensure that air, water and soil are addressed effectively through the process of SEA;
  2. Make it clearer for SEA practitioners in Scotland and Northern Ireland to consider air, water and soil issues in an effective and resource efficient way;
  3. Add value to existing SEA guidance published by Government Departments and devolved administrations; and
  4. Promote good practice with use of practical examples.
The guidance is aimed at organisations which are involved in undertaking SEA and, where appropriate, other organisations engaged in the SEA process.  Although the guidance is consistent with the SEA legislation as implemented across Scotland and Northern Ireland, the guidance is also relevant to SEA legislation and guidance which covers the rest of the UK.

Key words: Strategic Environmental Assessment, SEA, Air, Soil, Water, Environmental Receptors, Practical Guidance, Good Practice, Practical Examples, Consideration of SEA Topics, SEA Directive, SEA legislation.

Copies of this report are available from the Foundation, in electronic format on CDRom at £20.00 + VAT or hard copy at £50.00, less 20% to FWR members.

N.B. The report is available for download from the SNIFFER Website