Scotland's Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy: Post-Adoption Strategic Environmental Assessment Statement 2011
View the full policy in pdf format
The Scottish Government undertook a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of its Detailed Statement of Policy. SEA is a way of examining plans and policies as they develop, to identify any significant effects that they may have on the environment.
It ensures that environmental considerations are taken into account within Policy making, and that decisions which could affect the environment are made in a transparent way. SEA also aims to build in mitigation measures, to avoid or minimise any potentially significant adverse effects of the plan on the environment, and establish a framework for monitoring effects as implementation progresses.
This SEA Statement takes into account the findings from the consultation on the Environmental Report, but also refers and responds to broader comments on the Policy itself, to ensure that all of the environmental issues are addressed. This reflects the fully integrated nature of the SEA and Policy development process.
The Post-Adoption SEA Statement 2011 includes:
- how environmental considerations have been integrated into the plan or programme; how the environmental report has been taken into account;
- how the opinions of respondents have been taken into account;
- the reasons for choosing the plan or programme as adopted, in the light of the other reasonable alternatives considered;
- and measures to be taken to monitor the significant environmental effects of the implementation of the plan or programme.