The Russian EIA Process

The section “The Russian EIA Process” presents the main stages of the Russian Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. The EIA is mandatory for planned economic and other activities that can have direct or indirect impact on the environment. This statement is based on the requirements of the Constitution of the Russian Federation (article 42), the Federal Law on Environmental Protection No.7-FZ of January 10, 2002 (Article 32), The Federal Law on Ecological Expertise No.174-FZ of November 23, 1995 and the Regulation on the Assessment of Environmental Impact approved by Order of the State Ecology Committee of the Russian Federation No.372 of May 16, 2000.

The Russian EIA process includes the preparation of the EIA materials and the State expertize of the EIA materials. Below you will find step-by-step description of the Russian EIA process as well as the main requirements to the EIA materials preparing on each stage of the EIA process.

Stage 1.    Notification, Declaration of intent, Terms of reference

Stage 2.   EIA investigations and preliminary EIA materials


Stage 3.   Final project documentation


Stage 4.   State ecological expertize/State expertize