Environmental Impact Assessments

We conduct Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in Oman, the Middle East, and Africa. We also carry out specific components of these assessments, such as:

Assistance with online registration with the Omani Ministry of Environment
Completion of “Green Forms”
Screening reports
Scoping reports
Environmental Statements (ES)
Environmental assessment
Statutory surveys
Environmental Management Plans (EMPs)
Environmental impact studies
Environmental Improvement Plans (EIPs)
Stakeholder consultations
Environmental surveys
Air quality surveys
Soil surveys
Completion of greenhouse gas forms in accordance with MECA and IPCC guidelines
Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA)
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Environmental auditing
Waste management
Compliance with IPPC and Seveso II standards and Best Available Techniques (BAT)
Archaeological and cultural surveys

Environmental Impact Assessments are conducted in accordance with national government legal standards, International Finance Corporation (IFC)/World Bank standards, or other criteria, such as corporate internal standards. The EIA process culminates in the production of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

It should be noted that, in addition to national legislation, specific guidelines apply within the Sohar Freezone and Sohar Port. The legislative hierarchy is as follows:

Royal Decree (RD)
Environmental Permit
Permit correspondence
MECA/SEU guidance notes and Best Available Techniques (BAT) conclusions
Ministerial Decision (MD)
Permit application documents, such as the Green Form, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) document, Environmental Management Plan (EMP), etc.

In Oman, an EIA cannot be submitted without obtaining a “Kroki” (land ownership document) or a lease agreement if the intention is to establish an industrial project within an industrial zone. Furthermore, Article 9 of Royal Decree No. 114/2001 (promulgating the Law on Conservation of the Environment and Prevention of Pollution) stipulates that “no source or work area may be established prior to obtaining an environmental permit confirming its environmental safety.”

The process for obtaining the Initial Environmental Permit (IEP) is as follows:

Submission of the EIA report (three copies) along with the Green Form to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (Planning Department).
The Planning Department distributes a copy of the EIA report to each of the following departments:
Climate Affairs Department
Inspection Department
Nature Conservation Department
Other departments as appropriate (e.g., Marine Affairs Department for marine projects, Radiation Department, etc.).
Each of these departments reviews the EIA report and submits its comments/observations (if any) to the Planning Department. The Planning Department will review the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and comments from other departments, then prepare a formal letter to the consultant requesting revisions, consolidation, or clarification regarding these comments.
The consultant will respond to all comments in a formal letter (the client will be kept updated) and resubmit it to the Planning Department. The Planning Department will then decide whether further details or clarification are required. If not, they will proceed with issuing the Individual Environmental Permit (IEP).
If there are no comments from MECA departments, the Planning Department will immediately initiate the procedures for issuing the IEP.

IEP Issuance Procedures:

The Permits Section within the Planning Department will draft the conditions and requirements for the IEP.
Payment of the IEP fee.
The IEP will be forwarded to the Director General of the Planning Department for final signature.
Obtain the IEP from the Planning Department.

For more information on the EIA permit process, please refer to the following article regarding the environmental permit and EIA process in the Sultanate of Oman.