The environment ministry has proposed raising the appraisal threshold for non-coal mining projects at the state level from 250 hectares to 500 hectares in a draft notification issued on July 27. The ministry said the step is intended to further decentralise the environmental clearance process for such projects and align appraisal responsibilities at state level. The proposal applies to non-coal mining projects and seeks to mirror existing arrangements for certain coal projects.

State-level bodies, the State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities and the State Expert Appraisal Committees, already examine coal mining projects of up to 500 ha, and the draft noted that SEIAAs grant environmental clearances while SEACs provide advisory appraisals. Under the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, projects are classified by size and impact, with Category A projects appraised by the centre-level Expert Appraisal Committee and Category B projects handled by the SEIAAs and SEACs. The draft underlined that appraisal tiers are designed around potential environmental effects.

The notification highlighted that eligibility criteria such as qualifications and experience for experts nominated to EACs and SEACs are identical and observed that equal levels of expertise are available within SEACs compared with EACs. It also noted that SEIAAs have gained substantial experience over the past two decades in conducting environmental clearances. The centre has introduced two new standing bodies, notified on July 13, intended to expedite the clearance process when state institutions become non-functional.

The standing bodies, the Standing Authority on Environment Impact Assessment and the Standing Committee on Environment Impact Appraisal, would assume the functions of SEIAAs and SEACs when those institutions are non-functional for more than one month owing to expiry of tenure, delays in reconstitution or a court-imposed stay. Experts raised concern over selection criteria for members of the new bodies, pointing out that unlike the EAC and the state authorities under the EIA Notification, the chairpersons and members of the standing bodies need not possess domain experience such as 15 years of professional experience or a PhD. Critics warned that the absence of such requirements could weaken scrutiny of project appraisals, and stakeholders are expected to follow the consultation on the draft closely.