Exploration, Plan Elaboration and Environmental Impact Assessment

Our ambition in explorations and plan elaboration (together, planning studies), is to arrive at carefully prepared spatial decisions. These are decisions that focus not on solving a single task, but that are area-focused. Area-oriented solutions offer integral added value for the area, and can count on broad support among stakeholders. 

To this end, we integrate our technical and intrinsic knowledge of design and environmental and other effects, with knowledge of the procedures to be followed, MIRT rules, and process and environmental management. We do this in the exploration phase, for instance where a preferred alternative is developed. Or it occurs in the elaboration of the plan, where it is expanded into a Route Decision, a project plan under the Water Act, or a zoning or integration plan. In both our exploratory studies and in developing the plan, we use the necessary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) strategically with added value for the decision-making process. Our aim is a careful and well-motivated alternative development, focusing on the important and distinctive effects and stakeholder involvement. This means the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) offers excellent opportunities for developing initiatives at both the strategic and project levels, including the societal and environmental interests, to test for compatibility, to capitalise on environmental and other opportunities and to develop stakeholder support. This also applies to Environmental Impact Assessments for RO plans, such as structural visions among other things. Here we strive constantly to strike a good balance between content, (societal and administrative) participation and legal feasibility. We draw on our experience with Environmental Impact Assessments since the late 1980s, and on our more than 200 Environmental Impact Assessments approved by the Independent Committee for Environmental Impact Assessments.