Environmental Studies and Impact Assessments
We study the environmental impacts of projects and facilitate their environmental integration
We prepare environmental impact studies, environmental documents, and project initiation documents for projects that must undergo an environmental impact assessment, and we assist the project developer throughout the entire process until the environmental impact statement or report is issued. We have been doing this for over 20 years on projects involving renewable energy, infrastructure, industry, urban planning, and water resource development throughout Spain.
An environmental impact assessment is a preventive procedure: it serves to identify a project’s effects before it is implemented and to determine how to avoid, reduce, or offset them. Over the years, we have developed our own methodology for assessing impacts, which allows us to support each conclusion before the environmental agency with field data.
When does a project require an environmental impact assessment?
Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment and the regional regulations implementing it specify which projects must undergo an environmental assessment before receiving substantive authorization. Projects listed in Annex I undergo the standard assessment, while those in Annex II undergo the simplified assessment. Projects that are not listed in the annexes but may have a significant impact on a Natura 2000 site, as well as modifications to already authorized projects that may have significant adverse effects, also undergo the simplified assessment.
Before drafting anything, we review whether the project complies with those annexes and the regulations of the relevant autonomous community, because the procedure, the documents that must be submitted, and the deadlines all depend on this.
Routine Environmental Assessment
For Annex I projects, the process may begin—if requested by the project proponent—with an initial document and consultation on the scope of the study. Next, the environmental impact study is drafted and made available for public review for at least 30 business days, and the affected government agencies are consulted. The procedure concludes with the environmental impact statement (EIS), which sets forth the conditions and measures the project must comply with.
Simplified Environmental Assessment
For Annex II projects and those that may affect the Natura 2000 Network. The project proponent submits an environmental document; the environmental agency consults with the relevant authorities and interested parties and issues an environmental impact report. That report determines whether the project can proceed with the proposed measures or whether it must undergo a standard environmental assessment.
How can we help you?
Environmental Assessment of Projects
- Home Documents
- Environmental Documents
- Environmental Impact Studies (EIS)
- Studies on Impacts on the Natura 2000 Network
- Design of Environmental Monitoring Plans
- Preliminary Feasibility Study and Analysis of the Region’s Reception Capacity
- Writing Executive Summaries
- Monitoring of the Procedure and Technical Assistance Until the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Is Obtained
What Is Included in an Environmental Impact Study?
- Description of the project and its activities during the construction, operation, and decommissioning phases.
- Review of technically feasible alternatives, including the “zero” alternative, and justification for the chosen alternative.
- Environmental inventory of the area: fauna, flora, and habitats; water; soil; landscape; cultural heritage; and population.
- Identification and assessment of impacts, including cumulative and synergistic impacts with other projects in the surrounding area.
- Assessment of the impacts on the Natura 2000 Network when sites are affected.
- Analysis of the project’s vulnerability to major accidents and disasters.
- Preventive, corrective, and compensatory measures.
- Environmental Monitoring Program.
- Summary document.
Fieldwork is conducted by our own team (fauna, flora, and vegetation; acoustics; limnology; archaeology; and GIS), so the inventory is based on data collected within the scope of the project and not solely on the literature.
How We Work
- Preliminary analysis. We review the project’s legal framework, the applicable procedures, and the site-specific constraints (protected areas, species, cultural heritage, risks). Identifying critical issues early on helps avoid having to make changes to the project later on.
- Fieldwork. We plan our sampling according to the cycles required by each group, such as the annual cycles for birdlife and bats in wind energy projects.
- Editorial Staff. We prepare the environmental document or environmental impact study and any annexes requested by the environmental agency.
- Processing. We respond to requests, objections, and sector-specific reports, and we assist the developer in meetings with government officials.
- After the EIS. We design the environmental monitoring plan and conduct environmental monitoring of the construction project and the operational phase.
Why Choose TAXUS for Environmental Impact Assessments?
- Experience in multiple sectors: renewable energy, infrastructure, urban planning, and industry.
- Up-to-date knowledge of environmental regulations.
- A multidisciplinary technical team with a holistic approach.
- Coordination with developers, technical writers, and government agencies.
- Commitment to sustainability and continuous improvement.
Frequently Asked Questions About Environmental Impact Assessments
How long does an environmental impact assessment take?
It depends on the procedure and the environmental agency’s workload. The law gives the agency four months to prepare the environmental impact statement from the time it receives the complete application, and three months to issue the environmental impact report in the case of a simplified assessment. Added to this is the time required to draft the study and, above all, the fieldwork cycles required by the project, which is why a standard assessment usually takes well over a year.
What is the difference between an environmental impact study and an environmental report?
The environmental impact study is the document used in the standard assessment: it is more comprehensive, including a detailed inventory, an analysis of alternatives, an assessment of impacts, and a monitoring program. The environmental document is submitted as part of the simplified assessment and is shorter, although it must enable the environmental agency to determine whether the project has significant effects.
How long is an environmental impact statement valid?
The EIS becomes invalid if the project does not begin implementation within four years of its publication in the official gazette, unless the environmental agency grants an extension. The same rule applies to the environmental impact report.
Do you operate throughout Spain?
Yes. Our headquarters are in Oviedo, but we prepare and submit environmental assessments to the environmental agencies of various autonomous communities and for projects under state jurisdiction.
What do you need to prepare a budget?
With a description of the project (location, area, power or capacity, and plans, if available), we can tell you which procedure applies, what field studies will be required, and the associated timelines. Please contact us through the contact page.