In more detail

The purpose of these Guidelines is to establish criteria for the technical guidance provided by the National Environmental Certification Service for Sustainable Investments (SENACE) to investment project owners, environmental consultants and public entities whose environmental management instruments (IGAs) fall under its jurisdiction. This guidance will be provided during the environmental assessment process for the following purposes:

1. During technical meetings, to communicate the progress of the evaluation and any technical deficiencies of the IGAs.
2. During technical meetings, to provide guidance to the owner on the scope of the observations made in the observations report.
3. To transfer copies of the observations at the owner's request in case of a delay in the binding technical opinion.

Main provisions of the Guidelines

1. Considerations for evaluation progress communication and technical guidance meetings

• Meetings can be face-to-face, virtual or mixed. The coordinator¹ or project leader will determine the type of meeting based on the availability of the participants.
• If the number and complexity of the observations cannot be addressed in a single meeting, a new meeting will be scheduled.

2. Meetings to communicate the progress of the environmental assessment and any noted technical deficiencies

• At the beginning and during the communication meetings, the owner must be informed of the procedure's progress and the technical deficiencies identified by chapters according to the evaluation's progress, thereby answering any queries that the project owner may have.
• The coordinator and the evaluators must limit themselves to the technical deficiencies verified at the time of granting the meeting.
• The communication meetings are requested by the owner and convened by SENACE. They must take place before the issuance of the observations report. In this context, the progress of the evaluation is outlined in the following stages:

1. In the procedures of classification, approval of terms of reference and citizen participation plan, it will be granted after the admissibility stage.
2. In the evaluation procedure of the Detailed Environmental Impact Study (EIA-d) and the modification of the Detailed Environmental Impact Study (MEIA-d), it will be granted after the executive summary is deemed satisfactory and, when required by sectorial regulations, after the citizen participation plan is also deemed satisfactory.
3. In the evaluation procedure of the Sustaining Technical Report (ITS), it will be granted after it has been admitted for evaluation.

• In the progress communication meeting, the owner and the environmental consultant participate with the specialists who prepared the IGA, according to the topics to be reviewed as per the agenda. SENACE sends the agenda to the owner within five working days of receiving the communication request. The agenda includes a list of verified technical deficiencies, the specific topics to be discussed, and the date and time of the meeting.

3. Transferring copies of observations at the owner's request in case of a delay in the binding technical opinion

• The request applies to the stage prior to the issuance of the observations report. For the request to be considered appropriate at the owner's request, the following is required:

1. In the procedures of classification, terms of reference and citizen participation plan, the request must be made after 18 working days from the day following the receipt of the request for a technical opinion.
2. In the EIA-d and MEIA-d procedures, the request must be made after 45 working days from the day following the receipt of the request for a technical opinion.
3. In ITS procedures, if required by sectorial norms (such as those for hydrocarbons, electricity and transportation) or in accordance with the Single Procedure of the SENACE Environmental Certification Process (PUPCA), whichever is applicable, the request must be made after the expiration of the period granted to the technical reviewer, starting from the day following the receipt of the request for a technical opinion.
4. In the IGA procedures for Construction Interventions (IGAPRO), the request must be made after the expiration of the deadline for the technical reviewers to issue their opinion.

• In the case of EIA-d and MEIA-d, copies of the observations must be transferred within the period for receiving citizen contributions after the end of the public hearing, in accordance with the corresponding sectorial environmental management and/or protection regulation, or the PUPCA, if applicable.
• The transfer of the observations to the project owner is informative in nature and does not initiate the computation of the deadlines for resolving the observations. A copy of the observations must be sent to the owner within two working days from the day following the receipt of the request.
• If the project owner submits information, it must be evaluated together with the presentation of the observations, once the observations report has been notified.

4. Technical guidance for observations

• The purpose of the technical assistance meetings is to answer the owner's questions regarding the comments made on the project.
• The meetings are requested by the owner and convened and carried out by SENACE within the term established for the correction of observations.
• The project coordinator and evaluators must limit themselves to the scope of the observation, without requesting documents or information beyond what is requested in the observations report.

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We hope this information is of relevance to you and your company. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any advice in this regard.

Click here to read the Spanish version.

1 The project coordinator or leader is the official designated by SENACE as responsible for developing the evaluation progress communication, conducting technical orientation meetings and overseeing the project evaluation.

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