MEMORANDUM FROM THE SECRETARY

To        :         Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director and Regional Directors
Subject:         NEW PROCESSING PERIODS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) SYSTEM & CORRESPONDING      GUIDELINES
Date:    Sept. 29, 2009

Consistent with the Department’s thrust towards sustainable development and good governance, the processing periods for applications for Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) and Certificates of Non-Coverage (CNCs) should be as follows:

ECCs (Projects Covered by EIS System)            20 Working Days
CNCs (Projects Not Covered by EIS System)            1 Working Day
Processing time starts when application is accepted and proof of payment is presented at the designated processing office.

To support efforts for the shortened processing periods, the following rules and regulations are hereby promulgated:
1.    Processing of ECCs and CNCs should concentrate and focus on the environmental aspects of the project that have scientific basis and are verifiable. Socio-economic, political and other aspects of the project shall be the responsibility of legally mandated agencies and institutions, especially the Local Government Units.
2.    Application documents for ECCs and CNCs should be simplified to make them focus on essential information.
3.    Sectoral scoping guidelines should be issued to guide proponents in the preparation of their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Studies.
4.    Presence of DENR-EMB as well as the EIA Review Committee in the proponent’s conduct of scoping activities should be optional for the proponent rather than required.
5.    Permits, licenses, clearances, endorsements and other similar documents from other National Government Agencies and Local Government Units should no longer be required, as prerequisites for the processing of ECC and CNC applications.
6.    Requirements involving public participation such as public scoping, socio-economic/perceptions survey, public hearing/consultation and similar activities, should no longer be required as prerequisites for and as part of the processing of ECC and CNC applications . However, proponents of Environmental Impact Statement-based applications may submit documentations of public scoping and public hearing/consultation activities (if applicable).
7.    Additional information should no longer be asked from the proponent upon acceptance of the application.
8.    Internal and other government experts should be used in the review of ECC and CNC applications. Use of external/private reviewers is strongly discouraged.
9.    All ECC/CNC applications, corresponding status and decision documents, should be properly and timely recorded into the DENR-EMB online information system.

The above processing periods, rules and regulations shall take effect on October 1, 2009.

To accommodate pending ECC and CNC applications – while allowing for system adjustments – decisions for these applications should be issued not later than thirty (30) and ten (10) working days respectively from October 1, 2009.

For full and immediate implementation.



JOSE L. ATIENZA, JR.
Secretary