PreFeasibility Study and Environmental Screening Services
The Environmental Pre-Feasibility Studies were introduced by Law 109 of February 11, 1994 (the so-called `Merloni Law`), as instruments apt to consider since the preliminary planning stage the environmental impacts brought by the project work, therefore anticipating the solutions of the criticalities detected.
If related to the EIS, that studies in detail all impacts on territory brought by the realization of a work, the environmental pre-feasibility study grants full knowledge of the territory before the definition of the final project, therefore avoiding the emergence of relevant issues in the EIA procedure, that might lead to a partial or even complete re-elaboration of the project PB The necessary contents for an environmental pre-feasibility study are descriptive reports on the territory and its criticalities, with graphics attachments to highlight the main aspects. The environmental screening studies were codified in the Italian regulations by the DPR of April 12, 1996 ("Act of policy and coordination"), as instruments apt to enable the relevant authorities to express in matter of the subjectability of a work to the EIA procedure. In conformity with article 10 of the aforementioned decree, for those works considered in Appendix B and outside of protected areas the relevant authorities express on the exclusion of the EIA procedure according to the Proponent`s information, identifying possible prescriptions for mitigations and monitoring. The instrument of Environmental Screening (or "verification procedure"), at first referred solely to the projects subjected to procedure of regional level, has recently been extended to all planning typologies through the "Environment Decree".