Examples of EIA Review in Japan - Institute for Global ......2015/02/24 · Examples of EMP: local agreement •In many cases, local environmental preservation agreement (or agreement

2015/3/12

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Ministry of the Environment

環境省 Copyright © 2013 Ministry of the Environment of Japan All rights reserved.

Examples of EIA Review in Japan

Sho Nakamura (Dr. Sci.)Environmental Impact Assessment Division,

Ministry of the Environment Japan

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Determination of the assessment method

Surveys, forecasts, evaluations, consideration of environmental conservation measures

Reflecting the assessment results in the

project

Procedures for hearing the assessment results

Assessment not required

by law (subject to

ordinances)

JudgmentOpinions

Overview of the Project Issuers of Licenses etc.

Assessment required

Draft EIS

Prefectural Governors

Municipal Mayors StateCitizens Project Proponents

Opinions

Scoping document

Environment Minister’s

Opinions

Opinions’ of Issuers of Licenses etc.

Final EIS

Primary Environmental

Impact Consideration

Opinions

Opinions


Opinions

Competent Minister’s opinions

(Project planning pertaining to applicable projects)

Within 45 days

• Hearing of opinions is stipulated in the provision

for obligation to make efforts.

(Procedures for Class 2 Projects only)

(Voluntary for Class 2 Projects) Consideration at the

planning phase

Opinions

Within

45

days

OpinionsOpinions

Determination of

applicable projects

(Determination of items and methods)

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Screening through licenses, etc.

Report

Announcement of EIS


Opinions

Opinions’ of Issuers of Licenses etc.

Within

45 days

Implementation of environmental conservation measures and post-project surveys

Implementation of the project

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Project Type Scale Requirements for Class 1 Projects Scale Requirements for

Class 2 Projects

1. Road Nationalexpressways: AllNational roads: 4 lanes,10km,etc.

National roads: Same, 7.5 km,

etc.

2. River Dams: Reservoir area:100ha,etc. Dams: Same, 75 ha,etc.

3. Railway Shinkansen (bullet trains): AllRailways: 10km, etc.

Railways: 7.5km, etc.

4. Airport Runway:2,500m Same: 1,875m

5. Power plant Hydraulic: Output:30,000kw, Thermal: Output:150,000kw

Wind power, Geothermal:Output:10,000kw, Nuclear: All

Hydraulic: Output:22,500kw,

etc.

6. Final waste disposalsite Area:30ha Same: 25ha

7. Landfilland reclamation Area:50ha Same:40ha

8. Land readjustment project Area:100ha Same: 75ha

9. Newresidentialarea development

project

Area:100ha Same: 75ha

10. Industrial estate development

project


11. Industrialestate development

project


12. Distributioncenter complex

developmentproject


13. Land development (*1) Area:100ha Same: 75ha

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○Port and harbor planning (*2) Total reclaimed land, etc.: 300ha

*1: “Land” includes industrial land, etc.

*2: Port and harbor planning will be subject to the “Port and Harbor Assessment” (procedures for the scoping document do not exist).



Linear Chuo Shinkansen

• Max. speed 505km/h

• Expected time of 67mins. from Tokyo to Osaka

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Superconducting maglev (magnetic levitation )

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Body Dimensions

Operating

Maximum Speed

Body width

Body height

Tokaido Linear

Cross Section of TunnelExisting

Shinkansen

Superconducting

maglev

The cross-sectional area of the tunnel is larger than existing Shinkansen, because the superconducting linear is traveling at high speed.



History

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May 23, 2011 Determination of development plan

June & August 2011 Consideration document submission

September 2011 Scoping document submission

September 2013 Draft EIS document submission

April 23, 2014 EIS document submission

June 5 Opinions from the Environment Minister

submission

July 22 Opinions submission by Minister of Land,

Infrastructure and Transportation

August 26 Submission of corrected EIS document,

and application of approval for Construction

Execution Plan

October 17 Construction Execution Plan approved by the

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

December 2014 Groundbreaking

Year 2027 Opening (planned)

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71.2%

tunnels

Summary of plans（comparison of 3 plans)

7Note: Money amount exclude consumption tax

Note 1: 100 million passenger-kilometer per year

Conventional Shinkansen

Superconductive linearNon-tunnel

part

Route length (total)

South Alps routeInadani routeKisodani route

Su

pe

rco

nd

uctive

lin

ea

rC

on

ve

ntio

nal S

hin

ka

nse

n

minutes

Transportation demand (in 2045)

Construction cost (route and train cars)

Maintenance and operation cost (per year)

Replacement cost (50 years total)

(per year)

Required time (by the fastest train)

100 million yen

(note 1)

Required time (by the fastest train)

Transportation demand (in 2045)

Construction cost (route and train cars)

Maintenance and operation cost (per year)

Replacement cost (50 years total)

(per year)

(note 1)

minutes

100 million yen



Points of Environmental Impacts

• Impacts on natural environment (in particular, South Alps National Park)

• Noise and vibration (in particular, impact noise when a train enters or exits a tunnel)

• Impacts on groundwater, ground sinking

• Disposal of construction waste and soil

• Effects on landscape, sun-shading

• Electromagnetic ray

• Huge Project ⇒ Many uncertainties remains

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The EIS

位置図

対象事業実施区域

東京都

神奈川県

山梨県長野県

静岡県

岐阜県

愛知県

起点：東京都港区

凡例

：計画路線

:山梨リニア実験線

: 駅位置

：都道府県界

終点：愛知県名古屋市

The train passes deep underground in urban districts around Tokyo and Nagoya. It also passes through tunnels in almost all areas except for river crossings.

Tokyo

Kanagawa

Prefecture

Yamanashi Prefecture

Nagano PrefectureGifu Prefecture

Shizuoka

PrefectureAichi Prefecture

Starting point: Minato-ku, Tokyo

Terminal point: Nagoya

Keys

Planned line

Yamanashi Maglev Test

Line

Locations of stations

Border of prefectures

Location

Project area

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About 438km

TokyoOsaka



• 18 thousand pages, with 1300 questionnaires...

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Opinion of the Environment Minister to the EIS (1)

(2014/6/5)

1. Preamble

・Taking sufficient steps to preserve environment aiming at the society integrating low-carbon, circulation, and co-existence with nature is the precondition for this project.

・It is necessary to take sufficient steps to involve local governments and citizens.

2. General statement

・Land modification must be kept to the minimum, and measures to avoid or reduce environmental impact, monitoring and post survey should be implemented appropriately.

・As the construction period is long, evaluation items should be reviewed based on the change of situation. Execute additional survey, prediction and evaluation, and take appropriate steps.

3. Particular statement

(1) Greenhouse gases (GHG)

・The introduction plan of renewable energy and energy-saving equipment should be made (quantitative standard should be set as much as possible) not only for this project but also for

whole company and reduce the amount of emissions of GHG in a planned way. Moreover, take

long-term measures to reduce GHG including energy-saving and technology development.

・Electric power in service should be supplied by renewable energy as much as possible. Energy must be saved, and increment of GHG should be restrained to the lowest extent.

・To reduce emissions of GHG even more, take effective measures in collaboration with other private companies.

*only main parts extracted

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Opinion of the Environment Minister to the EIS (2)

(2014/6/5)

3. Particular statement

(2) Water environment

・Make a precise prediction about groundwater level and river flow rate, and use a construction method which can minimize the influence.

・Figure out the groundwater level and river flow rate before the construction, and implement monitoring until after the construction.

・If any possibility of affecting the water resource is confirmed, permanent measures should be taken after emergency measures.

・Concerning spring water, figure out its water quality and quantity, and treat it appropriately. When the spring water is released, release it at as many points as possible, to avoid or reduce the influence on

surface stream water.

・Avoid or reduce impacts on the ecological system by minimizing the water intake from surface stream water including mountain runoffs and rivers.

(3) Ecological system including animals and plants

・Avoid impacts on the South Alps National Park and candidate area for its extension as much as possible.

・Pay attention to areas applying for registration so biosphere reserves will not lose their qualification.・Avoid or reduce impacts on the reproduction of rare raptors including Spizaetus nipalensis (kumataka).・Monitor the growth situation of water creatures including chars in each water system following decrease of river flow rate and take appropriate measures.

・For animals with low locomotion such as salamanders, take measures including securement of migration paths and transmigration.

・Figure out impacts of night lighting on wild animals.・For rare plants, the basic principle is avoiding their habitat. Transplantation should be based on a

preliminary plan.


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環境省 Copyright © 2013 Ministry of the Environment of Japan All rights reserved.13

Opinions of the Minister of the Environment (3)

(2014/6/5)

3. Particular statement(4) Communication between nature and humans・Avoid or reduce impacts on climbers by adjusting the operation plan of construction traffic.・As a long-term construction, evaluate its impact and take appropriate measures.

(5) Waste materials・Control generated soil. Discuss with local governments on a management plan for soil, and manage it appropriately. ・For soil yards, avoid natural areas and habitats with animals and plants.・Take measures including communicating about the measures to be taken by those who will use the generated soil.・Ensure control of waste generation, recycling, and appropriate disposal.

(6) Atmosphere, noise, and vibration. ・Monitor the quality of atmosphere, noise, and vibration corresponding to local features, and take appropriate measures. ・If conditions of prediction including operating conditions are changed, implement additional prediction surveys and take appropriate measures.

(7) Soil・Monitor polluted soil with heavy metals coming from nature generated through the construction, and take appropriate measures.




Environmental Management by various sectors: Oi River

• In the EIS Document, the project proponent estimated that the flow of the Oi River may be reduced by about 2tons/second by the project.

• Opinion from the Environment Minister instructs to make more precise estimations and take appropriate measures based on the revised estimations.

• Based on this opinion, the project proponent is making precise estimations and holding meetings with experts and stakeholders to determine measures against flow reduction. (Oi River Water Resource Committee)

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Example of Environmental Managementby various sectors

• Shizuoka Linear Chuo Shinkansen Environment Preservation Coordination Meeting

– Members:

• Experts (Air, Water, Soil, Nature, Civil Engineering etc.)

• Representatives of local residents

• Representatives of local stakeholders (water management, fishery, sightseeing, etc.)

– Information Exchange, Field survey

• Based on opinion from Environmental Minister, the project proponent opens local offices for environmental issues in every prefecture to hear comments from local residents.



Examples of EMP: local agreement

• In many cases, local environmental preservation agreement (or agreement on pollution prevention) are concluded between project proponent and local governments/local citizens. Especially for power plants and factories

• Maximum ground concentration/outlet concentration are determined.

• Usually, same or under the regulation standards, more frequent monitoring.

• In some cases, real-time monitoring and reporting to the local governments (Air quality, Water quality)

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Thank you for your attention!

Please contact me at the following

address if you have any

questions.

[email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Examples of EIA Review in Japan - Institute for Global ......2015/02/24 · Examples of EMP: local agreement •In many cases, local environmental preservation agreement (or agreement