Category B2 of EIA

Subject: Environment

Context:

Draft environment impact assessment 2020 included list of projects into Category B2.

Concept:

• All projects and activities are broadly categorized in to two categories – Category A and Category B, based on the spatial extent of potential impacts and potential impacts on human health and natural and manmade resources.
• All projects or activities included as Category ‘A’ in the Scheduleshall require prior environmental clearance from the Central Government on the recommendations of an Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) to be constituted by the Central Government for the purposes of this notification
• All projects or activities included as Category ‘B’ in the Schedule will require prior environmental clearance from the State/Union territory Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). The SEIAA shall base its decision on the recommendations of a State or Union territory level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) as to be constituted for in this notification.
• The projects requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment report shall be termed Category ‘B1’ and remaining projects shall be termed Category ‘B2’ and will not require an Environment Impact Assessment report.
• The projects under this category include offshore and onshore oil, gas and shale exploration, hydroelectric projects up to 25 MW, irrigation projects between 2,000 and 10,000 hectares of command area, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in dye and dye intermediates, bulk drugs, synthetic rubbers, medium-sized paint units, all inland waterway projects, expansion or widening of highways between 25 km and 100 km with defined parameters, aerial ropeways in ecologically sensitive areas, and specified building construction and area development projects.