S.L. 549.61 Art. 7Consultations.

(1) The draft plan or programme and the environmental report prepared in accordance with regulation 6 shall be made available, by the responsible authority, to the authorities referred to in sub-regulation (3), the competent authority and the public.

(2) The responsible authority shall ensure that the authorities referred to in sub-regulation (3) and the public referred to in sub-regulation (4) shall be given an early and effective opportunity within an adequate time-frame, to express their opinion on the draft plan or programme and the accompanying environmental report before the adoption of the plan or programme or its submission to the legislative procedure. Such time-frames shall not exceed sixteen weeks from the publication of the plan or programme and its environmental report.

(3) The designated authorities to be consulted which, by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities, are likely to be concerned by the environmental effects of implementing plans and programmes, shall be the following:

(a) the Environment and Resources Authority or any successor entity responsible for the environment; and where applicable-

(b) the Regulator for Energy and Water Services or any successor entity or entities;

(c) the competent authority responsible for agriculture;

(d) the competent authority responsible for fisheries;

(e) the competent authority responsible for health;

(f) any other authority which is deemed by the responsible authority to have an input into the strategic environmental assessment process.

(4) The responsible authority shall make the plan or programme and its environmental report available to the public electronically and in published form for viewing at its offices for the purposes of sub-regulation (2).

(5) In order to reach out to the public affected or likely to be affected by, or having an interest in, the decision making subject to these regulations, including relevant non-governmental organisations, such as those promoting environmental protection and other organisations concerned, the notice of availability of the plan or programme and the environmental report shall be published in at least the Gazette together with specific details of where the documentation is available and how comments can be submitted and by which date.