The Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 541 of September 7, 2020 "On further improvements of the environmental impact assessment mechanism".
To fulfil the tasks set by the Decree of the President dated October 30, 2019 No. UP-5863 "On approval of the Concept of environmental protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030", the proposals of the State Committee for Ecology were adopted:
- on the creation of a system for digitalization and electronic exchange of about 30 thousand documents submitted annually for environmental impact assessment;
- on the organization of public hearings to discuss the types of activities that have a negative impact on the environment.
The resolution approved:
- the lists of activities assigned to the following environmental impact categories I (high risk activities), II (medium risk activities), III (low risk activities), as well as IV (local level activities), and a list of activities that are subject to the state environmental expert assessment (a so-called “expertiza”);
- the procedure for the expert assessment of activities belonging to categories I, II, III and IV. It includes: the procedure for preparing materials for the examination, the timing of its conduct, the rights and obligations of the participants in the examination, the status of the conclusion, as well as the procedure for payment;
- the procedure for conducting mandatory public discussions and hearings of draft environmental impact assessments for planned activities related to categories I and II of environmental impact, prior to the state environmental expert assessment.
Among the activities belonging to category I are the following:
- oil and gas mining;
- treatment, processing and incineration of class I and II wastes;
- production of batteries and accumulators (including galvanic batteries);
- chemical plants; etc.
Among the activities belonging to category II are the following:
- treatment, processing and incineration of class III wastes;
- alcohol production and packaging;
- paper and cardboard factories;
- cotton processing; etc.
The State Committee for Ecology has been appointed as the authorized body in the field of environmental expert assessment, responsible for organizing the expert assessment, development of regulatory documents for the state and public environmental expert review.