s 4 Environmental impact assessment
(1) The environmental impact assessment is a process consisting of— (a) the preparation of an environmental statement by the person seeking or initiating planning permission , or seeking infrastructure consent ; (b) any consultation, publication and notification required by Parts 5, 9 and where relevant, Part 12 of these Regulations, the 2012 Order , the 2025 Application Regulations or the 2025 Examination Regulations in respect of EIA development; and (c) the steps required under regulation 25(1). (2) The environmental impact assessment must identify, describe and assess in an appropriate manner, in light of each individual case, the direct and indirect significant effects of proposed development on the following— (a) population and human health; (b) biodiversity, with particular attention to species and habitats protected under EU-derived domestic legislation which transposed Directive 92/43/EEC and Directive 2009/147/EC as may be amended from time to time ; (c) land, soil, water, air and climate; (d) material assets, cultural heritage and the landscape; and (e) the interaction between the factors listed in sub-paragraphs (a) to (d). (3) The effects referred to in paragraph (2) on the factors set out in that paragraph must include— (a) the operational effects of the proposed development, where the proposed development will have operational effects; and (b) the expected effects deriving from the vulnerability of the proposed development to risks of major accidents and disasters that are relevant to that development. (4) The relevant planning authority or the Welsh Ministers, as the case may be, must ensure that they have, or have access as necessary to, sufficient expertise to examine the environmental statement.