㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 Environmental Impact 㩷 㩷 Assessment System 㩷 㩷 of 㩷 㩷 㩷 the Tokyo Metropolitan 㩷 㩷 Government 㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 㩷 An Environmental Impact Assessment (Environmental Assessment) system is 㩷 a framework to estimate and minimize the possible impact that a proposed 㩷 project will have on the environment. Prior to a decision being made on a major 㩷 development project, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is conducted 㩷 to estimate and evaluate the likely influence the project may have on the 㩷 environment and review how to minimize the impact. The result of the assessment is made open to the public and comments are invited from local 㩷 residents and relevant municipalities. It is also reviewed from the expert’s point 㩷 of view. 㩷 㩷 Pollution and loss of the natural environment may impair people’s health and 㩷 comfort. Sometimes it is difficult to restore the original natural environment. To 㩷 preserve a sound natural environment, it is important to put proactive and 㩷 preventive measures into effect, including the EIA system. 㩷 Since October 1981, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has implemented 㩷 environmental impact assessment procedures before making decisions on 㩷 projects larger than a certain scale, in accordance with the Tokyo Metropolitan 㩷 Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance. The procedures are designed to 㩷 ensure that such projects incorporate reasonable considerations on the 㩷 prevention of pollution, preservation of the natural and historical environment, 㩷 and maintenance of the landscape. 㩷 㩷 In July 2002, TMG revised the ordinance to specify that an environmental impact assessment procedure must be followed in the planning phase for 㩷 projects larger than a specified scale. 㩷 Basic Procedures Required in the Tokyo Metropolitan Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance 㩷 㩷 㩷 c Environment Consideration Report f Holding a town hall meeting to hear opinions from h Draft environmental assessment report (EAR) k Request considerations of issuers of the license or Upon planning a project, the relevant business and organization Tokyo residents Based on the survey plan, businesses and organizations shall approval shall prepare an environment consideration report, describing The Governor shall host a town hall meeting to hear opinions prepare a draft EAR. The report shall be made open to the The Governor shall request that issuers of the license or the applicable environmental plans. The environment from the residents of Tokyo on the environment consideration public and be available for public inspection for 30 days from approval should pay due consideration to the contents of the consideration report shall be made open to the public and be report and on the draft EAR. Members of the Environmental the date of the public announcement. When a project is EAR in issuing the license or granting approval for available for public inspection for 30 days from the date of the Assessment Advisory Council may participate in the meeting to implemented in a specified area designated by the Governor, implementing the project. public announcement. listen to the residents’ opinions. the project assessment procedure begins with the draft EAR process. l Procedure for follow-up survey d Explanatory meeting g Survey plan When the work starts, the business and organization shall The relevant business and organization shall hold explanatory Businesses and organizations engaged in the relevant project i Business’s opinion report report the start and submit a plan for conducting a follow-up meetings during the public inspection period, to inform shall prepare a survey plan, describing methods for surveying, The relevant business and organization shall prepare survey (a follow-up survey plan). After the start of the work, the residents of the contents of the environment consideration predicting and assessing likely impacts on the environment of “business’s opinion report” to express its views on the opinions business and organization submit a follow-up survey report report and the draft environmental assessment report (EAR). implementing the project. The survey plan shall be made open of the residents on the draft EAR. The comments shall be made (during construction) and upon completion of the construction, to the public and be available for public inspection for 10 days public and be available for public inspection for 20 days from the business and organization shall report the completion and e Submission of residents’ opinions from the date of the public announcement. The procedure for the date of the public announcement. submit a follow-up survey report (after completion). Residents of Tokyo may submit opinions from the viewpoint of the survey plan may be omitted if the project has already been environmental preservation within a certain period of time, undergone the EIA in the planning phase and specified j Environmental assessment report concerning the environment consideration report, the survey procedures. The environmental assessment report shall be made public and plan and the draft EAR. Opinions can be brought in personally be available for public inspection for 15 days from the date of or submitted by mail or e-mail. the public announcement. * Procedures for special environment consideration reports are 1 㩷 different from the standard procedure. 2 Outline of requirements for a relevant project Outline of requirements for an individual plan Type of Project (description and size) (description and size) National expressway or motor highway: Other types of roads (with four or more lanes) [Construction] All [Renovation] 1 km or longer* [Construction] 2 km or longer Other types of roads (with four or more lanes): [Renovation] 2 km or longer [Construction] 1 km or longer* [Renovation] 1 km or longer* * Even when the length to be constructed or renovated is less than Construction or renovation of 1 km, if the work is conducted as a part of, or as an extension to, a 1. roads relevant project, it shall be subject to the procedure. * Renovation of a road extended to four or more lanes, with the width of the road unchanged, should be included. Construction of a large-scale forest road: [Construction] A road with a width of 6.5 m or wider and an extension of 15 km or longer Dam: Discharge channel: [Construction] Height of 15 m or more and surface area of 75 ha or [Construction] A river area with a width of 30 m or wider and more a length of 2 km or longer Weirs: [Construction] Surface area of 75 ha or more [Renovation] Surface area increase of 37.5 ha or more and surface Construction or renovation of area of 75 ha or more after renovation dams, lake water level control 2. facilities, discharge channels or Lake water level control facilities: weirs [Construction] The total area of land for installing the facility and the maximum horizontal project area of the bottom is 75 ha or larger. Discharge channel: [Construction] A river area with a width of 30 m or wider and a length of 1 km or longer; or a project that entails a change in the figuration of land of 75 ha or more Railways (including industrial railways), transport vehicle guideways Railways (including industrial railways), transport vehicle and monorail tracks: guideways and monorail tracks [Construction] All projects [Construction] All projects excluding Shinkansen railways Construction or renovation of [Renovation] (Addition of rail tracks, relocation to underground and to [Renovation] 2 km or longer (Addition of rail tracks, railways, transport vehicle 3. elevated lines, other forms of relocation) 1 km or longer* relocation to underground and elevated lines, guideways and monorail tracks * Even when the length of the extension to be renovated is less than other forms of relocation) (Excluding 1 km, if the work will be conducted as a part of, or as an extension to, a renovation relating to Shinkansen railways.) relevant project, it is subject to the procedure. Land airports and heliports Land airports and heliports: [Construction] All [Construction] All Construction or modification of 4. airports/airstrips Airstrips: Airstrips: [Construction and change of location] All [Construction and change of location] All [Extension] Projects involving change of class Power plants: [Construction] Thermal: 112,500 kw or more Hydraulic: 22,500 kw or more Geothermal: 7,500 kw or more Nuclear: All [Expansion] Thermal: Output increase of 56,250 kw or more and total output after expansion of 112,500 kw or more Construction or modification of Hydraulic: Output increase of 11,250 kw or more 5. power plants or power and total output after expansion of transmission line 22,500 kw or more Geothermal: Output increase of 3,750 kw or more and total output after expansion of 7,500 kw Nuclear: All Power transmission line: [Construction, extension, pressure increase] 170,000 v or more and 1 km or longer [Construction] Production capacity of 1.5 million Nm3/day or more Construction or modification of [Expansion] Capacity increase of 750,000 Nm3/day or greater and 6. gas works production capacity of 1.5 million Nm3/day or more Petroleum pipelines: [Construction] Conduit pipe of 15 km or longer (excluding buried portions) [Extension] Extension of 7.5 km or longer and the total length of the Construction or modification of pipeline after extension work of 15 km or longer 7. petroleum pipelines or oil storage facilities Oil storage facilities: [Construction] Storage capacity of 30,000 kl or more [Expansion] Storage capacity increase of 15,000 kl or more and a total storage capacity after expansion of 30,000 kl or more Manufacturing factories that are likely to cause pollution Manufacturing factories likely to cause pollution [Construction] Lot area of 9,000 m2 or larger or floor space of 3,000 m2 [Construction] Lot area of 18,000 m2 or larger, or floor space or larger of 6,000 m2 or larger Construction or modification of [Expansion] Lot area increase of 4,500 m2 or larger and lot area after [Expansion] Lot area increase of 9,000 m2 or larger, and 8.