What is an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report?

EIA is the process by which likely significant environmental effects of a proposed scheme are considered and assessed. The first stage of an EIA is to produce a ‘Scoping Report’ that considers what topics and effects have the potential to be ‘likely significant’ and therefore should be assessed in the Environmental Statement.

The EIA Scoping Report identifies:

8 environmental topics which require further investigation as part of the Environmental Statement, including:

• Major accidents and / or disasters

• Terrestrial ecology

• Landscape and visual amenity

• Socio-economics and human health

• Climate change

• Air quality

• Noise and vibration

• Marine ecology

7 environmental topics that are not considered to be significant and for which further assessment in the Environmental Statement is not considered necessary, including:

• Built heritage and archaeology

• Ground conditions, soils and contamination

• Flood risk and hydrology

• Transport

• Marine Navigation and Marine Recreational Resource

• Lighting

• Waste

What happens next?

Neath Port Talbot Council will now consult statutory consultees and local residents before producing an EIA ‘Scoping Opinion’ that states if the Council agrees with what is proposed for assessment in the Environmental Statement and if there should be any changes to the proposed scope of assessment.

This will inform the Environmental Statement, which will provide a thorough description of likely significant environmental effects (both beneficial and adverse) that the proposed Alcohol-to-Jet facility could cause, as well as any enhancement or proposed mitigation to avoid, reduce or offset environment effects.

Topics that are considered out of scope of the Environmental Statement will still be considered through other technical aspects of the planning process, such as waste management plans.

Where can I find further information?

A summary of the EIA Scoping Report is available at this link.

The full EIA Scoping Report can also be viewed on Neath Port Talbot’s website, link here.

How can I input into this?

The EIA Scoping Report will be available to view in full on the Council’s website. The public are given early and effective opportunities to participate in the decision-making through the EIA and are also able to review the full details of the Scoping Report and share any comments they may have with the Council.